A Desperate Love
by Hatusu
Summary: COMPLETE! Hermione is captured and thrown into a dungeon by none other than Lucius Malfoy! How will she react when she finds that she is at the disposal of Draco?
1. Off the Hogwarts Express

  


(A.N. PLEASE READ: This is my first attempt at fan fiction writing, (yay!) so please excuse any errors in writing or grammar (I'm sure that there are many!) I suggest that you read OotP before this story; it won't make a lot of sense if you haven't read the fifth book. Bear with me on the first chapter, I swear that it will get more interesting. Lastly, the reason I rated this story R is for cruel treatment, swearing, crude humor, and one nudity scene. It is the very mildest of R fanfics. Please, please, please review my story, and my very favorite reviews are constructive criticism! Flames are welcome if you hate my story! Once again, this is just a traditional start to a very unique story! PLEASE do not judge by the first chapter! *wink wink* ) 

"Hermione, wake up! We're almost there!" said Ron loudly. Hermione opened her eyes slowly, remembering that she was on the scarlet Hogwarts Express on her way to platform nine and 3/4. _Going home_, she thought. She leaned against the seat in relief. Her fifth year at Hogwarts had indeed been a trying one, not only because of the extremely difficult O.W.L exams, but because of being associated with the Order of the Phoenix, because of Professor Umbridge, and most of all because of Sirius. _Yes,_ she thought sadly, _because of Sirius._ Hermione glanced at Harry. He was staring straight ahead and seemed preoccupied with something. His sterling green eyes held a touch of profound sadness, and they seemed darker these days. In fact, Harry's whole mood had become darker ever since that night in the Department of Mysteries. Harry had kept to himself and had seemed more subdued than usual when the end of school had come, seldom speaking to anyone unless spoken to.

  


It was true, Hermione and Ron worried about him a lot and had often wondered aloud to each other if he was okay. Now Hermione looked at his face and found it to be drawn and pale, slightly off color.

  


"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked, a frown creasing her forehead. Harry looked up, almost as if startled. 

  


"Nothing," he said quietly, smiling a smile that didn't touch his eye. "Just thinking about going back to the Dursleys, and Dudley, you know. Not exactly my idea of a perfect summer," he muttered, laughing bitterly.

  


"Oh, Harry, I would have you come visit, but me and my parents are taking a trip to Egypt this summer. We're leaving tomorrow morning. I'm sorry," she finished, indeed feeling very sorry for Harry.

  


"Don't worry, Harry, you can visit the burrow for a few weeks this summer, Mum'll love having you," Ron piped up. He had been staring out of the compartment window, eating a chocolate frog.

  


"If Dumbledore lets him, that is," Hermione said quietly, immediately regretting it. For a moment she had seen a flash of hope on Harry's face.

  


"Pipe down, Hermione," Ron snapped., "I'm sure he will."

  


A few moments later the whistle had blown and the station came into view. Hermione peered outside anxiously to see if Mrs. Weasley was waiting there. Hermione had wanted to ask her a favor about Harry. Hermione quickly grabbed her luggage and headed out of the compartment door before either Harry or Ron. She set off into the crowd to look for Mrs. Weasely. Finally she spotted Mrs. Weasely's flaming red hair, the trademark of the Weasely family.

  


"Mrs. Weasely!" Hermione called, shoving her way through the bustling crowd.

  


Mrs. Weasley spotted her and gave her a quick hug. Then she asked, " Hermione, dear, how are you? Where are Harry and Ron?" Mrs. Weasley smiled a warm smile.

  


"Oh..." Hermione started, "they're still on the train. Getting their luggage, I expect."

  


Mrs. Weasley nodded and Hermione continued, "Um... Mrs. Weasley... I have a bit of a favor to ask you. You see, I've been worried about Harry lately. He hasn't been... himself, lately, is what I mean to say." Hermione fidgeted with her necklace and continued, "He really needs a family right now, Mrs. Weasley. Although Dumbledore won't allow him to leave the Dursleys for the whole summer, it would be great is he could visit the Burrow for at least a few weeks. And... you _could_ visit him, whether the Dursleys like it or not. And sending him plenty of owls would keep his spirit up, too." Hermione sighed and took a deep breath. "It's been really hard for him with... with Sirius being gone and all. I wouldn't ask you unless I was really, really, worried about Harry, and I am." Hermione finished with a sigh of relief. 

  


Mrs. Weasely stared at Hermione for a moment and then exclaimed, "Why, of course we will, darling! Didn't you expect me to do all of that in the first place?" Mrs. Weasely beamed down fondly at her.

  


" I think that it's so sweet of you to care, dear. Harry needs friends like you and Ron right now." Mrs. Weasely hugged her again.

  


A few moments later Ron and Harry appeared out of the crowd, looking quite tousled. Hedwig squawked loudly.

  


" How are you, Mum? And Hermione, how in the _devil_ did you get out of that mess so fast?" A grin played on Ron's face as he spoke.

  


"I'm wonderful, darling, how are you?" Mrs. Weasely said briskly. Then she hugged him and Ron hugged her back quite reluctantly, his face going red.

  


Mrs, Weasely stepped back and looked at them.

  


"My, my. You_ have_ all grown," she murmured. Just then Ginny appeared out of the crowd.

"Ginny dear!" Her mum yelled, throwing Ginny into a hug. Then she sighed. "It's so nice to have you all again. Harry and Hermione, I want to have you two a lot this summer to the Burrow."

  


"Well, I best be off, Mrs. Weasely. My parents will be expecting me outside," Hermione said lightly. Then she hugged both of the boys and Ginny.

  


"I'll write to you loads, both of you," she said to Harry and Ron, " We have to stay in touch every single week." Both Harry and Ron nodded, Harry nodding extra vigorously.

  


" Bye, Hermione!" They both yelled as she disappeared into the crowd.

  


Hermione walked through the barrier and came out into the muggle world. She looked towards the muggle cars, expecting to see her parents waiting there for her, but she couldn't see them. She scanned the rest of the crowd for a few minutes. There was no sign of her parents. Perhaps they're a bit late, she thought doubtfully. They had never been late. She leaned against the wall and waited there for a few more minutes.

  


Soon the crowd of Hogwarts students began thinning, waving goodbye to their friends and walking off with their parents. The sun began to sink low into the sky and only a few students remained. 

  


_Why are they so late?_ Hermione wondered angrily. _They couldn't possibly have forgotten. Ridiculous,_ she thought.

  


She took her luggage and began walking towards the parking lot. She hadn't walked ten meters when a pair of hands roughly grabbed her from behind. She felt a gag being stuffed into her mouth before she could scream. Suddenly she was lifted off her feet and swiftly carried away.

* * * * * * * * * *

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 2


	2. Into the Malfoy Dungoens

(A.N. This chapter is more exciting. PLEASE give a THOUGHT OUT and CRITICAL review!!! You don't know how much this helps me!)  
  
Draco stepped out of the black car elegantly, his light blonde hair blowing back into the afternoon wind. He gazed up at the huge stone manor that he called his home. It loomed up into the deep blue sky like a rock embedded in a flowing river. He began to walk up the smooth stone steps to the front doors of the mansion. A few moments later the house-elf ran out, bow fervently to Draco.  
  
"Welcome home, Master Malfoy, may Croch take your luggage?"  
  
"Yes, Croch, and bring me a cup of tea after that," Draco said quietly, his eyes glinting maliciously. His favorite past time at the manor was making Croch work relentlessly. He loved to see the poor house-elf become exhausted yet still obey his every command.  
  
Draco laughed to himself and entered the mansion. It was chilly inside, as if the sunlight didn't reach past the tinted windows. The foyer was barren of any furniture, consisting of only cold marble floors and bare walls. Draco limbed the stairs to his room. It would be warmer there.  
  
A few hours later Croch called Draco down to dinner. Draco came to sit at the long mahogany table. His mother sat at the far end and Draco sat down next to her.  
  
"Welcome home, Draco, it is good to have you back at the manor," his mother said, smiling at him.  
"I'm happy to be home," Draco said half-heartedly. This was the first time all day that anyone besides Croch had talked to him at the manor, much less acknowledged his presence.  
  
At that moment Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, appeared in the doorway, holding his silver cane that he carried everywhere. It was not that Lucius needed it to walk with, but it was, to him, a representation of his wealth and power. Lucius sat down and immediately servants began carrying in silver platters with a variety of foods laden upon them. As Draco tasted the food, he found it to be better tasting than the usual Hogwarts food, but starker and not as warm.  
  
"Draco, my dear boy, I'm happy to have you home," Lucius drawled. Draco only nodded and looked up into his father's steely silver eyes. Lucius had never called Draco his 'dear boy.' He seemed exceptionally happy that night. The rest of the dinner went by in silence until Lucius spoke.  
  
"Draco, I have not forgotten that next week is your sixteenth birthday." Lucius paused, beaming at him. Draco's stomach did a strange little flip and he looked up.  
  
"Sixteen is a big number, Draco. You will become a man at sixteen. A big number deserves a big present," Lucius was looking positively excited now. Could it be? Draco wondered, excitement coursing through him. A Firebolt II, the newest model of a broomstick yet? The broomstick that can outstrip Harry Potter's by at least three meters? Draco had been wanting nothing more ever since the broom had come out two weeks ago. It would be the perfect birthday present, Draco marveled.  
  
"Draco, I have gotten you . . . " Draco waited in suspense, his heart pounding. Suddenly Draco's mother grabbed Lucius's arm.  
  
"Perhaps you should show him, Lucius, dear. It will come as a bit of a surprise otherwise," she said quietly. Lucius frowned at her for a moment, then nodded.  
  
"Narcissa is right, Draco. Come to my chambers after supper and I will show you."  
  
Draco fervently wondered what this huge surprise could be. Why were they hiding it from him? And why was his father giving him his present do early? As supper was finished, Draco climbed up to his room and opened the window, gazing out at the star-filled night. He looked up to Lucius so much. Draco looked up to how he had acquired so much power and money, and how he had most of the Ministry in the palm of his hand. I will be just like him, Draco thought, I will not let my father down in upholding the family name. The young Malfoy could suddenly feel the excitement mounting in his chest. Too anxious to wait any longer, he slammed the window shut and made his way down to his father's chambers. They were lower than the rest of the house, so it got colder and colder as he descended.  
  
Finally Draco arrived at his father's door and knocked softly.  
  
"Come in, Draco," drawled his father. Draco entered the huge room and glanced around. He was seldom invited to his father's chambers, and Draco now noticed that everything was a shade of dark green. His father was looking exceptionally pleased at that moment.  
  
"I placed your birthday present in the dungeons. Follow me, Draco."  
  
His father swept through the doorway, walking in huge strides. Draco tried his best to follow his father without shivering. They walked down a few staircases and corridors until they were deep underground, into the Malfoy dungeons. Here was where his father kept most secret and treasured things. There was a wine cellar, a storage room, and many smaller underground rooms, branching off from the main hall. Lucius came to a halt in front of a small, grimy looking door. Draco stared up at his father in confusion. No, Draco thought suddenly, it can't be. Why are we . . . ? The door clanged opened magically and Lucius swept inside, blocking Draco's view of the object lying there. Draco stepped in anxiously and peered around his father. Draco could barely suppress a scream at what lie before him.  
  
What he saw was far from the Firebolt II he had been hoping for.  
  
Hermione Granger lie there, staring back at him through pale, tear- filled eyes.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 3  
  
COMING: 3 DAYS 


	3. Draco's Birthday Present

((A.N. Ok, I'm sorry that last chapters I forgot to thank my reviewers. You guys mean so much to me when you review, whether it's an "I- love-it" or "I-hate-it!" Thank you so much Twisted Silver Dagger for the long reviews (and the house-elves name? First thing that came to my mind . . . *laughs* I DON'T know how the Malfoys keep their faces straight though.) Thank you Apollonia2 for the great review, and lets just say that Lucius is the really evil one. Thank you water-princess123, sweet-77-thang, (my first reviewer!) and mic for the great reviews. This is a dark chapter, very dark indeed. Ignore this: b testing /b OK, R&R!!!))  
  
They were in a prisoner's cell, and all that Draco could see were the eyes. The terrified, tear-streaked face that held those huge brown eyes. He gaped in astonishment. For a minuscule second Draco wondered why Hermione was in the cell. Of course, he thought suddenly. My birthday present. He stared up at Lucius in absolute disbelief. Fortunately, Lucius wasn't looking at Draco at that moment. His malicious stare was fixed on Hermione. Draco turned his shocked face to Hermione and saw that she was staring at him with a new look on her face: hatred.  
  
"Malfoy," she whispered quietly, never dropping his gaze.  
  
"That's quite right," Lucius said swiftly. He turned to his son.  
  
"Draco, look whom I have brought you. That mudblood Granger." Lucius paused, apparently waiting for Draco to look pleased. All Draco could do, however, was force his face to become expressionless.  
  
Lucius seemed satisfied and continued, "This girl is dirty, dirty and dishonorable, Draco. That is no reason, however, why you cannot . . . practice on her," Lucius's mouth stretched into a thin lipped smile.  
  
"I know that you fancy that Parkinson girl, Draco. Am I correct? She is of a pureblood family and I expect you two to marry someday. The mudblood we have here is completely for your entertainment, you see. Of course you will never see her again after this. I will allow you to keep her for the entire summer, but for no more after that." With that statement he turned his gaze to Hermione, then back to Draco.  
  
"I don't see how she is anything but a virgin," Lucius sneered, looking her up and down.  
  
"You, Granger, are lucky to be losing your virginity to my son. A pureblood," Lucius said, his voice dripping with venom. At this, a change seemed to come over Hermione. The hatred seeped out of her eyes and her knees looked ready to buckle. She looked as she had when Draco had first entered the dungeon with his father.  
  
"Father," Draco said, finding his voice at last, "What of her muggle parents? Of course they will notice her absence."  
  
"Ah, Draco, you forget my cunning. Her parents were planning on taking a trip to Egypt this summer-"  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY PARENTS?!" Hermione screamed, surprising them all, "WHERE ARE THEY?!"  
  
Lucius smacked her so hard that the slap rang out among the dungeons. Hermione screamed in pain and fell against the wall, out of breath.  
  
"Never interrupt me while I am speaking, you ungrateful mudblood!" Lucius spat, obviously furious. As if to make a point, he kicked her in the ribs, causing another cry of anguish to escape her lips. Draco looked down at the crumpled form of Hermione, smiling inwardly. This was what she had always deserved. His father had finally put her in her place, groveling at his feet. At the same time, Draco was feeling nervous about his first try with her. He had never thought of forcing a girl to have sex with him; he always thought that it would come naturally to both of them. Besides, he knew Hermione, and he also happened to hate her.  
  
"As I was saying before the wretch interrupted me, her parents and her were planning on a trip to Egypt. I had some of my friends conduct, a different, special memory charm on those muggle parents of hers. Thanks to my colleagues, the Grangers are flying happily to Egypt at this moment, with no memory of even having a daughter. The special memory charm will be lifted at the end of the summer, and we'll release the mudblood back to them. However, she will remember none of this. We will modify all three of their memories so that they remember nothing but a happy summer in Egypt, spent together. Quite simple, if you understand my jest, son. My father gave me the same birthday present on my sixteenth birthday. It is a Malfoy tradition, Draco. I expect you to honor the tradition."  
  
Draco looked up into his father's eyes and said clearly, "That I will, father."  
  
Lucius turned back to Hermione.  
  
"I know that you must be anxious to try out your new gift, Draco, but it is late tonight and you may do so tomorrow. Let us leave this rotten cell and return above ground," Lucius finished softly. He strode out of the chamber and Draco followed him. Lucius quietly closed the cell door and locked it with a different spell than alohomora. Lucius glanced at Draco and said, "The lock I have put on this door is complicated. "I didn't use the alohomora spell because although I took Granger's wand, I knew that she could still find a way to undo a normal lock. The spell for this door is 'precipuus ostium.'"  
  
Draco nodded and said, "Thank you for the gift, father."  
  
Lucius nodded curtly. So this is why he was so pleased all day, Draco thought wryly. I should have known that only something like this would make him joyful.  
  
"There is- one more thing, Draco," his father said as they climbed the stairs out of the dungeons. Lucius paused on the top step and turned to look at his only son. Draco stopped too, wondering what else his father could possibly have in store for him.  
  
" My Lord and I have been discussing you, Draco," Lucius muttered softly. Draco's breath caught in his throat. Lord Voldemort, discussing him? What could they possibly have had to say concerning him?  
  
" I am Lord Voldemort's most trusted servant, as you should know. My Lord is very anxious to welcome you into our circle. We have a special mission for you. This mission was reserved for someone new to this Art, someone that nobody could yet accuse or suspect. This mission was reserved for you, Draco, and only you."  
  
Lucius regarded him with cold eyes.  
  
"We need a spy," he said quickly.  
  
"A- A spy?" Draco repeated unbelievingly.  
  
"I will say no more until you become a Death Eater. It is tradition to wait until a child is eighteen to make them a Death Eater, but the Dark Lord has made an exception for you, Draco. I have scheduled your initiation for the end of the summer. I expect you to be fully prepared when the time comes for you to join our inner circle," Lucius stated icily.  
  
"Draco, there will be no mistakes from you at the initiation," he said, never dropping the blood-freezing gaze.  
  
"I understand, father. Thank you for allowing me to become a Death Eater so early," Draco murmured, his heart pounding. A mission reserved especially for him? What could it be?  
  
"I believe it is safe to say that you, Draco, will be great," Lucius said finally. With that, the two Malfoys, one full of youth and the other full of cunning, walked out of the dungeons side by side. For the second time that night, Draco's heart pounded with anticipation. 


	4. Shove it Up His Arse

  
  
  
  
  


(( A.N. OK, I was in the mood to write a super long chapter, so here it is! Please review it when you're finished... this time, tell me what I can IMPROVE ON. b Ignore /b Ok R&R!!!))

  
  
  
  


As the cell door clanged shut before her, Hermione let out a sob of anguish. She heard the lock click, followed by distant footsteps on the cold stone floor.

  


So I've been kidnaped, Hermione thought faintly. By the Malfoys. She tried to piece it all together in her head, but found herself too tired to do so. In fact, the more she thought about it, the less sense it made. Why would the Malfoys (a rich and respectable family, to be sure) go through all the trouble to kidnap a muggle born like me? Hermione thought incrediously. Certainly not just for Malfoys's pleasure. Or his revenge. There must be another reason, Hermione thought stubbornly. Even as all of this flew through her mind, she felt it collapsing. 

  


Although Hermione knew her situation was real, she could not bring herself to believe that she had become a birthday present. The very thought of it made her fill with anger. I am not property, she fumed. I am not something that can just be traded, that can just be given. I am a person. Why can't they see that? She wondered angrily. She felt the storm, the anger, ebb away ever so slowly. It was replaced by despair and fatigue. Hermione rested her head against the wall, not wanting to think about anything. The next day came all to soon for her.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  


Draco's eyes snapped open in terror. He sat up, glancing around his room, reminding himself that he had come back to reality. Another nightmare, he thought disgustedly. He always seemed to have the same one, with only minor changes each time.

  


Strangely enough, Draco would be wandering through a rose garden, smelling the roses as he walked past. He always seemed to be looking for something, but all he saw were the blood red roses. This aggravated him to no end; just as he was becoming angry, Draco would see a glint out of the corner of his eye. He turned toward it in triumph, knowing that he had found what he was looking for. As he came closer to the object, so did another person. Draco could never seem to tell who this person was. Before Draco could reach the shining object, the mysterious person would take out a knife and cut it down. Then a sadness so profound that his whole body shook rocked through him. He would wake up, feeling scared and depressed. Often Draco puzzled over this dream, especially wondering how an object so small could cause him such pain.

  


A few more moments of reflection and Draco came crashing back to his waking life. His gift. Granger. The initiation. The secret mission. Draco had not been able to think about any of it last night.

  


First, there was Granger. Draco had not known what to feel about his birthday present. Now he decided that it was very complicated. Why couldn't father have just given me the Firebolt II I wanted? Draco wondered. The words, 'family tradition' popped into his head. Draco sighed knowingly. A Malfoy tradition was never to be broken and always to be honored. Draco decided that this particular one was very annoying, if not more. He dreaded visiting the mudblood he hated later that day.

  


Second, the Death Eater initiation. Draco had found it strange when his father had said there would be no mistakes. That didn't seem to make sense to him. As for becoming Death Eater so soon, Draco was excited. He would be able to go to Hogwarts next year and brag to Crabbe and Goyle that he was already a Death Eater and they had a year yet to wait. It was true that Draco could hardly wait until the end of summer.

  


Third, there was the mission. Draco smiled at the thought of this. To work for Lord Voldemort himself was what draco had always wanted. Just like my father, Draco thought smugly. He wasn't even out of school yet and he had a top notch job. I would be hard, working as a spy for the Dark Lord while juggling quidditch and school work to keep his teachers satisfied. After all, if a former top notch student's grades suddenly dropped, some wretch like McGonagall was bound to notice and became suspicious.

  


Draco put all this out of his mind as he dressed and walked downstairs. He found his mother sitting in the breakfast room sipping coffee and reading the Daily Prophet. She jumped as Draco entered, slopping coffee all down her white blouse. She put her cup down with a shaking hand.

  


Narcissa Malfoy looked like the kind of woman that had once been beautiful beyond belief. It was true. Narcissa was still beautiful. Today she wore a ruffled white blouse, which was tucked into slim fitting black riders pants. She wore pearl studded black boots and her shiny brownish-black hair was pulled up into an elegant bun, with small ringlets flowing around her face. However, Draco did not overlook the bags under her eyes or the way that her mouth was pinched into a permanently worried expression. The once copper tone of her skin was now pale and washed out. The charm her honey brown eyes once held had vanished; something deeper now resided in her eyes.

  


"Draco, it's you. Good morning," she said more calmly. She turned her attention back to the Prophet.

  


"Morning," Draco said, sitting down and buttering himself a raspberry crumpet.

  


" I was planning on going riding today. Would you like to come?" Narcissa asked lightly, not taking her eyes off the paper.

  


Draco decided that a day of riding horses was exactly what he needed.

  


"Yeah, I think I'll come," Draco said.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  
  


Hermione woke with a start as the cell door clanged open. How long had she been sleeping? With no sunlight, Hermione couldn't tell if it was morning or night. To her great relief, it was only a house-elf that shuffled in.

  


"Croch brings you food, and Master Malfoy sends his greetings," the house elf said cheerfully.

  


"Well, tell Master Malfoy to shove it up his ass," Hermione said sweetly, smiling brightly at the house-elf.

Croch did not reply, but gave her a scathing look and set the food down.

  


Hermione was starving and she reached for the food. Her hand stopped halfway there and wouldn't move any further. Terrified, she tried to take a step but her foot was jerked back suddenly. Invisible shackles, she thought with despair. Now there was no chance of escaping at all. Croch moved the food closer and exited.

  


Hermione was on the verge of tears. No, she thought suddenly. Now is not the time to break down, you need to think, Hermione told herself sternly. She ate the food quickly, then leaned back against the wall and thought long and hard about ways to escape. Suddenly a brilliant idea popped into her head. It was the only way to escape. She would have to wait until Malfoy came, though. But she could wait.

  
  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  


Draco sighed, making his way down to the dungeons. It was after dinner and his father had asked about the mudblood. Draco said he would go to the dungeons right after dinner. Now he wished he was soaring through the skies on his Firebolt II.

  


Hermione looked up as the cell door creaked open. This time it was Draco Malfoy, her arch enemy. The one that she couldn't trust one tiny bit. Remember that, she told herself. No matter what he says.

  


"Granger," he said curtly, his pure blue eyes piercing hers.

  


Hermione said nothing, but held his gaze, not willing to look away.

  


"It's good that my father hit you last night, Granger. It's about time you were put in your place," as he said this, Draco's eyes sparkled, full of malice.

  


"My place," said Hermione softly, "Is between Harry and Ron, not between your legs, Malfoy."

  


"I highly doubt that somehow," Draco said, a smirk playing across his face.

  


Hermione's temper flared dangerously, but she forced her face to stay calm.

  


"Let me go, Malfoy," she said slowly, her hateful eyes boring into his. He gazed back at her, then gave a genuinely amused smile.

  


"And why in the hell would I do that, Granger?" Malfoy asked, a strange look in his eyes.

  


To his surprise, Hermione laughed at him, shaking her head slowly. 

  


"Figures, Malfoy. Neither you nor your father could see it. It's not just my parents that worry for me, Malfoy. Don't you think that Harry and Ron will get a little suspicious if I don't return their letters for a few weeks? They'll come to see me and I won't be there. They'll pin it on you, Malfoy, somehow. You know they will," she said, with a look of triumph.

  


Draco took a moment to think things over. It was true, if Hermione disappeared, they would become suspicious. But to flat out accuse him? That was ridiculous. 

  


Draco took a step closer to her, then another. Then he leaned both hands against the wall, with an arm stretched out on either side of her, blocking her escape. His face was very close to hers as he said, "I wouldn't count on them coming to your rescue, Granger. Do you really think that they care about mudblood filth like you? Those two are best friends, although I noticed how they sort of drag you along everywhere . . . pitiful, really."

  


Hermione didn't reply, but was barely managing to keep her face calm. She was tired of him having this power over her, this command. Anger flared up inside her.

  


"I hate you," Hermione said, unable to control her anger any longer, "you bastard."

  


Draco's expression changed from amusement to anger. He grabbed her shoulders, and Hermione suppressed a scream.

  


Draco pressed his body up against hers.

  


"I wouldn't be saying things like that . . . in your position," he whispered slowly, his eyes looking her up and down. Hermione tried to struggle, but his toned muscles easily overpowered hers.

  


To her surprise and relief, he released her as suddenly as he had grabbed her. He turned around so that she couldn't see his face. He stood still for a few seconds, then turned to look at her.

  


"I've had enough of your face for one night, Granger," he said, angrily whirling around. Hermione saw what she had been looking for. His wand stuck out of his back pocket, and without a sound, Hermione grabbed it and stuffed it into her robes. She smiled wryly as Draco slammed the door.


	5. The Wand Thief

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


((A.N. Hello, I wrote another LONG LONG chapter for some unknown reason! Hope it's not too long! (Please tell me if it is) I'd like to thank reviewers buffy, ahhh, sweet-77-thang, nixendronea-weasley, SamAnn, RebelRikki, Apollonia2, SaDiStIc-FrEaK, got2bmefree, and Twisted Silver Dagger for the fantastic reviews!!! You guys really inspire me to write well!!! In case ya'll were wondering, Croch the house-elf's name was meant to add a little humor in this otherwise serious story!!! Ok read and review!!))

  
  
  
  


Draco stalked down the dark dungeon corridor, fuming at Hermione. How dare she insult him. _The nerve she had to have had to call me a bastard while in chains!! _He thought suddenly. He also wondered why he had backed down at the last second. He remembered her face, so passionate with anger, her eyes flaring at his every word. Why hadn't she been afraid? He had tried to scare her, to make her weaker, but his words had only seemed to give her strength.

  


So wrapped up in his thoughts Draco was that he crashed into his mother while whirling around a corner. She shrieked and fell to the ground.

  


"Mother!" Draco said in astonishment. He reached out a hand to help her up. She grasped it and stood up, looking quite flustered.

  


"What are you doing in the dungeons?" Draco asked suspiciously. Narcissa had never liked the dungeons.

  


"I was down here to get another case of wine for Lucius and myself," she said, brushing herself off.

  


"I should have been more careful," she added, looking up at him. Draco realized that he was now taller than his mother, and she was of an average height. 

  


"Lucius is waiting," Narcissa muttered quickly. She seemed in an awful hurry. Deciding not to hold her up, Draco simply nodded and continued out of the dungeons. He felt sick by the time he'd reached his room, although he could not pin the reason. Granger had made him awfully upset, and he wondered now if she was right about Harry and Ron.

  


Suddenly there was a rap on the door.

  


"Come in," Draco said curtly, expecting the house-elf. Instead his father opened the door and stepped in. Draco immediately became suspicious. After all, it wasn't as if his father came to tuck him in every night before bed. If that ever happened, Draco was positive that Crabbe and Goyle would become Aurors for the Ministry.

  


"Ah, Draco, how was your visit with the mudblood?" Lucius drawled, a smirk playing across his face.

  


"It was . . . enjoyable," Draco said, hoping to sound as confident as he had meant to.

  


"Good," Lucius said, continuing, "That's what women are for, Draco. Your pleasure."

  


Draco nodded curtly, wondering if his father's words were true. Lucius walked over to Draco's dresser and ran his hand along the smooth, dark wood.

  


"I... that is to say, Narcissa and I, are hosting a party tomorrow night at six." He paused and opened a box on Draco's dresser, apparently interested in the contents.

  


"Of course I expect you to attend. The house elf will bring up the clothes I wish you to wear. There will be very important people at this dinner party, Draco. I expect you to mingle with and impress all of them."

  


Lucius's back was turned to Draco, so Draco couldn't see the expression on his fathers face, but the words had sounded threatening.

  


"Understood?" Lucius said, turning around at last. He snapped Draco's box shut suddenly, making him jump.

  


"Yes, father," Draco said automatically. It was the mandatary response for agreeing with Lucius.

  


"Good," Lucius said again. "I will see you tomorrow, then." Lucius walked away from the dresser and out through the door without waiting for a response from Draco.

  


Draco lay back on his bed, wondering what kind of important people would be at this party. _Ministry officials or servants of the Dark Lord? _he wondered. Draco wondered if the Parkinson's were invited and if he would get to see Pansy. Slowly his mind eased and he drifted off to sleep.

  
  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  


Hermione laughed to herself and pulled out Draco's wand. _I wonder how far away I'll be by the time he realizes it's gone? _she thought, chuckling again. Her plan had worked for the most part. She had diverted his mind from her with words, and he hadn't done anything to her. _Well, barely diverted him_, she thought with relief.

  


She fingered the wand in her hands and wondered which spell would break her chains. After that it was a simple matter of unlocking the door.

  


She yelped as the door flew open. _Draco!_ She thought, her heart sinking. _He knows I've stolen the wand!_ Hastily she shoved it into her robes. It wasn't, however, Draco Malfoy that entered, but Narcissa. She entered meekly, quietly closing the door behind her. Hermione was astonished to see the woman standing before her. _Of course,_ Hermione though to herself, _she isn't to be trusted._

  


"What do you want?" Hermione questioned carefully. Narcissa seemed quite jumpy. She started at every small sound and was constantly glancing behind her, as if expecting someone to burst through the door at any moment.

  


"I-I came to bring you some dinner, in case you were hungry. I wasn't sure if they fed you," Narcissa added quickly. To Hermione's surprise, out of her robes came a container o chicken and some delicious looking raspberry treacle.

  


"Oh, they feed me. Well, one meal a day," Hermione amended shortly. Narcissa pushed the food closer to Hermione so she didn't have to reach. "Thank you," she added awkwardly. Hermione was so hungry that she had eaten all of the chicken in two minutes. Narcissa sat in silence, timidly watching her eat.

  


Hermione felt uncomfortable and tried to make conversation.

  


"This treacle is good, did you make it?"

  


"Oh, heavens no," Narcissa said quickly, continuing, "I don't even know how to cook. Lucius makes the servants do it all."

  


Hermione and Narcissa stayed on the subject of food for a while until Narcissa brought up Draco.

  


"I don't like it," Narcissa said quietly," what he's doing to you, I mean."

  


"Oh," Hermione started quietly, "he hasn't really done anything to me yet." Narcissa met her eyes hopefully.

  


"I begged Lucius to buy him the new broom that he wanted, but Lucius...didn't agree,"

Narcissa whispered the last part.

  


"I don't want Draco to be like him," she said suddenly. Hermione shivered inwardly at the fear in her voice.

  


"I'm sorry," Narcissa murmured, looking down, " I'm spilling out my problems to you and I don't even know your first name."

  


"Oh!" Hermione laughed suddenly, smiling. "I'm Hermione." It occurred to Hermione had only known her as 'The Granger girl' until now. She also wondered how Narcissa felt about Draco being with Hermione.

  


"Lucius is terrible," Narcissa whispered. "I regret ever marrying him." 

  


Hermione nodded and asked, "Why did you marry him?"

  


"Well, it just seemed so perfect at the time. He was handsome, rich, and a pureblood. And we were in love, so we married. As soon as he got the Dark Mark though, something in him changed. He became as cruel and corrupt as his father before him," Narcissa reminisced, her eyes filled with pain.

  


Suddenly she looked down at her wristwatch.

  


"Lucius is waiting," she spoke quietly, "I must go now. I will, however, visit you tomorrow night."

  


"Thank you for the food. And the company," Hermione said gratefully

  


"I will see you tomorrow," Narcissa said again. She turned and left quickly.

  


_At last_, Hermione thought joyfully. She pulled out the wand once again. _Now which spll to use?_ She wondered. Hastily she began trying charms.

  
  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  


Draco tromped up stairs to his room. He found a green suit, perfectly ironed, lying on his bed. It was the next evening, and an hour before the party began. _At least I won't have to se Granger tonight_, he thought with relief.

  


Quickly he showered and put on the suit, then dug into his robes for his wand. He would need a hair slicking charm because his hair was all messy from flying on his broomstick. He dug around in the pockets for a few minutes but couldn't find it. He looked on his dresser, in the small box, on his bed, but it was nowhere to be seen.

  


_ Where did I leave it?_ Draco thought irritably. He remembered having it at dinner the night before. Lucius had said something and Narcissa had dropped her glass. Draco had used his wand to repair it quickly. After dinner, he had visited Granger, then come straight up to his room. He had been flying all day.

  


His head snapped up. He remembered not locking Granger's door because he couldn't find his wand.

  


"GRANGER!" he yelled angrily, throwing his robes down on the bed. He dashed downstairs and into the basement, then farther into the dungeons. He found the door and wrenched it open.

  


Hermione Granger sat in the middle of the cell, as always. She looked up in surprise.

  
  


"GRANGER!" he roared accusingly, "You have it!"

  


"Don't be ridiculous, Malfoy," she said offhandedly. "I don't have it. Why doesn't your father just go buy you a new one? I'm sure he has the money," she snorted, smiling sweetly. This only increased Malfoy's suspicions.

  


"Where is it?" he said, grabbing her robes suddenly, trying to check the pockets.

  


"I told you, I don't have it!" she said, trying to squirm away.

  


Draco lost what patience he had. "YOU FILTHY LITTLE MUDBLOOD!" he screamed, "GIVE IT TO ME!" But Hermione's gaze was fixed over his shoulder.

  


Draco turned around and his heart plummeted. Lucius Malfoy and another man strode through the doorway. Draco looked down and realized his hands were still on Hermione's robes. Taking into account the sentence he had just screamed, he realized what it looked like he was doing.

  


"Draco, I've been looking for you," Lucius said cooly. "Now is not the time to do that," He softly muttered. He continued, "I would like to introduce you to my good friend, Lemanus Gilroy."

  


Draco stuck out his hand and felt his face flush. Lemanus shook his hand very slowly, gazing into Draco's eyes. He looked sickly pale and had long, plaited black hair. Lemanus turned to Hermione.

  


"And who do we have here?" he asked slowly, a sickening smile spreading across his face.

  


"Just a small birthday gift for me son," Lucius said swiftly.

  


"Ah, I see," the pal man murmured. He squatted down to where Hermione was sitting. She shrunk back against the wall. He cupped her face in his hands and brought her to look at him.

  


"Such a beauty," he mocked slowly. Hermione couldn't tell by his voice if he was serious or not. Then his cold lips touched her head and she began shaking uncontrollably. He stood up briskly and walked back over to Lucius.

  


"Better get back to the party. Come, Draco," Lucius said briskly, beckoning to him. Draco gave her one last seething look that said. 'I'll take care of you later.' Hermione realized that she had finally whatever boundary Draco had set for her by making a fool of him in front of his father. And she knew him too well to hope for mercy.

  



	6. Mercy

  
  
  
  
  


((A.N. Hello, everyone! A shorter chapter than the last, but very important!. Lucius is so evil it hurts to write his part!! Ok I won't give anymore away!!! Thank you reviewers: SamAnn/MoonBurst (I like your new name!), Lil Canadian, Apollonia2(About your question, you'll have to wait and see!), hinkypunk2 ( a scary threat about the monkeys!), Sarah, Buffy, kat, Tigrechica, RebelRikki, and kate for the wonderful reviews that make me so happy!!! I am composing a song for you guys and will post it soon, lol! (No, I'm not obsessive...) Ok R&R!))

  


Oh yeah, I apologize for no disclaimer in the past chapters! I could have been sued! *shudders* I own nothing in this story except perhaps the plot. J.K. Rowling is the genius behind Harry Potter and I thank her for providing us with hours and hours of entertainment, and for giving new writers an inspiration for their work. 

  
  
  


Draco barely recognized the dining hall when he entered. Candles with silver flames had been bewitched to fly above tables and created a flickering sensation throughout the room. Platters and platters of food were laid out on the table and men and women were floating in and out of the shadows, mingling with one another. Draco noticed a short figure lurking in a corner, his youthful face illuminated in the ghastly silver light.

  


He could feel his father's extra tight grip on his shoulder, telling him that he would pay later for the embarrassment Draco had caused him in front of Lemanus Gilroy. His father steered over to the food platters and Draco began taking up food. Soon a few people had come to talk to Lucius and his son.

  


"Hello, Bellatrix, quite lovely to see you," Lucius said smoothly. "This is my son, Draco."

  


Bellatrix stuck out her hand while exchanging significant glances with his father.

  


"It is an... honor... to meet you," she said finally, smiling broadly.

  


"As it is you. I've heard of your famous deeds from my father," Draco said politely. 

  


Bellatrix gave a small laugh. "Have you? I am honored that you mentioned me to him, Lucius."

  


"Oh, not merely mentioned, but told him the full tale of..."

  


And so the evening progressed, until Draco became unbearably bored with the meaningless (and sometimes not so meaningless) chatter. The mysterious figure in the corner had pricked Draco's curiosity. He non-discreetly wandered away from his father and headed over towards the corner. He was stopped, however, by a voice to his left.

  


"Draco," came the cool, calm, female voice he knew so well.

  


He turned to see Pansy Parkinson silhouetted in the flickering light. She looked, if anything, more beautiful the Draco had ever seen her. She was dressed in a tight-fitting, glittering evening gown that showed off her dark, long legs. She clutched a tiny bag in her hands that matched the starry black strappy shoes she was wearing, and her scarlet lipstick made her look suave and sophisticated. Draco wondered why he even looked at other girls.

  


"Hello, Pansy, it's good to see you," Draco said smoothly, becoming entranced in her piercing green eyes.

  


"You too," she said, putting an emphasis on that last word. She casually held a glass of wine in her hand, and Draco marveled at how natural she looked. It was well known that at Lucius Malfoy's parties, anyone could drink alcohol and no one would stop them. Draco never had liked the effect of wine; it made him terribly clumsy and out of control. There was nothing Draco hated more than being out of control of his own feelings.

  


Suddenly, as if on cue, slow music came on and Pansy looked at Draco expectantly.

  


"Do you want to dance?" Draco asked, reaching his arm out to her.

  


"I'd love to," she said, smiling gracefully at him. They moved onto the glittering dance floor and began swinging elegantly, flawlessly across it. For the first time in his life Draco thanked his mother for making him take dance lessons.

  


After the song ended, Draco escorted Pansy off of the dance floor. She fanned her face, looking even more ravishing with flushed cheeks. 

  


"I want some punch," Pansy said after a while. "Let's go."

  


They walked through the crowded, flickering dining hall and headed to the punch bowl. Draco and Pansy were ladling themselves some punch and happened to overhear a bit of the conversation that Lucius seemed to be dominating. The men all around him were roaring with laughter.

  


"And Narcissa doesn't even realize that I sleep with at least two other women a week! She's so gullible! I can tell her anything and she'll believe it!" He paused, apparently enjoying the men's laughter.

  


"It's women all together that are gullible," Lucius continued. "No matter what you do or say, they always come crawling back, the weaklings..."

  


Draco and Pansy hurried away, hoping that they hadn't been seen listening. Draco noticed Pansy biting her lip and blushing furiously as they walked.

  


"What's wrong?" he questioned, frowning slightly.

  


Pansy looked up at him and muttered, "Well, it's just. . . what your father was saying–

never mind, silly of me, really. . ." But her voice cracked and she looked even more upset than before. 

  


Draco didn't want Pansy to be embarrassed about what his father had said.

  


"My father. . ." he started, but trailed off quickly. He didn't know what to say.

  


Pansy suddenly looked up at him. "You don't think that, do you, Draco?" she said worriedly.

  


"Of course not. I'd never do something like that," Draco said soothingly, looking right into Pansy's eyes. It suddenly hit him how harsh his father's words had sounded. _Downright cruel_, he realized. And then he remembered Granger. _What the hell do you think you're doing down there with Granger? _A nasty voice in his head retorted. _How different is that from your father?_ Pansy frowned at him but didn't say anything.

  
  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  


Hermione felt like snapping Malfoy's stupid wand. No matter what she told it to do, no matter what spell she tried to perform, all it would do was emit stupid green and silver sparks. 

  


"Argh!" she roared, and threw the wand across the cell in frustration. It landed far out of her reach. She'd been up for hours on end, trying spells, charms, and anything else she could think of, with no luck whatsoever. She buried her face in her arms. _Malfoy should be here any minute_, she thought hopelessly. Finally, this was something that the brilliant Hermione Granger couldn't conquer with words or logic alone. This cruelty went past even her knowledge. Finally, she admitted exhaustion. _And I don't even have a wand to face Malfoy with, thanks to my temper,_ she thought bitterly. Without meaning to, Hermione fell into an exhausted sleep.

  
  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  


She woke up with a start, for a moment wondering where she was. Then she felt the rough chains that held her down, smelled the rotten, musty stench of mold, and knew that she was right back where she had been before falling asleep. _Where are you now, Harry? _Hermione thought desperately. _Are you okay, Ron? I need you two more than ever right now._ Her thoughts were broken by footsteps outside of the cell. _Perhaps Narcissa has come again,_ Hermione thought hopefully.

  


All of her hope ebbed away as Draco stepped into the room. Without skipping a beat Draco walked over to her and grabbed her throat, shoving her head against the wall.

  


"My wand, Granger," he demanded, holding out his other arm. Because she couldn't speak, Hermione didn't know what else to do but give in. Silently, she pointed to the corner where she had thrown it.

  


Draco smirked and picked it up, examining every bit carefully.

  


"Besides being filthy from you touching it, it seems fine," commented Draco. "I'm glad I had it bewitched so that only I could use it."

  


Hermione said nothing. Draco looked over at her and she noticed something different about his sterling blue eyes. The usual cool, slightly arrogant expression was missing. In it's place was an emotion Hermione had never seen.

  


Draco shoved the wand in his robes and came toward her. Hermione felt herself break a sweat.

  


"What - what day is it? What time?" Hermione asked quietly, looking at him expectantly.

  


Draco just stared at her. 

  


"Less talk, more play, Granger," he said finally, his eyes burning into hers. Suddenly his gaze dropped below her face.

  


Hermione knew what he was about to do. Furthermore, it was no use struggling. He was stronger than her and she was in chains. No use at all.

  


Draco quickly pushed her against the wall, catching both of her wrists in his hands. Hermione drew in a shaky breath, hating him for being this close to her, hating him for what he was about to do.

  


He reached down and removed her robes, throwing them easily behind him. Under that she was wearing a cotton button-up shirt and a short tartan skirt.

  


Draco stepped back, smirking at her. Slowly he reached for the top button of her shirt, and Hermione began breathing harder. At an agonizingly slow pace, he began unbuttoning the cotton shirt, button by button. He leered at her the entire time, and finally a single tear slipped out of her closed eyes. In all the time she had been his prisoner, in all the time she had been trapped in the dirty cell, Hermione had never cried a single tear. Now she felt like crying an ocean. Draco had indeed broken her.

  


At last Draco reached the final button of her shirt, and he slowly unbuttoned it. Then he reached and let the shirt slip down her shoulders.

  



	7. Flying off the Handle

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


((A.N. Hi everyone!! Thank you so much to my faithful reviewers Moon Burst, Apollonia2, and hinkypunk2!! I really appreciate you guys reviewing every chapter because it just makes me happy, when skies are gray!! Well, I think that this is the shortest chapter in the history of chapters on ff.net, but it was too long a chapter in first place so I chopped it in two! Please review when you're finished! *crosses fingers* . . . ))

  
  
  


Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story except perhaps the plot. This was all J.K. Rowling's idea and I thank for the hours of fun she gave us.

  
  


She couldn't let him rape her. Hermione had to think of something. 

  


"Draco," she said suddenly. He was so surprised that he looked up, startled that she had called him by his first name.

  


She stared him in the eye, although her voice shook when she spoke.

  


"I've always known that you were mean, Malfoy. Always known that you were cruel. But I thought you were human. I never thought – never thought – you'd turn out like your _father_."

  


Little did Hermione know the impact that the words would have on Draco when she uttered them. He looked at her, and suddenly his whole mask of a face seemed to shatter with emotion.; emotion that Draco had kept inside all his life.

  


In a flash he had let go of her and turned around so that she couldn't see his face. Hermione was, of course, right. He'd realized it the night before in the ballroom with Pansy. He didn't think Pansy deserved to be hurt, to be used, to be two-timed. He had honestly tried to convince himself that Hermione was different from Pansy, Hermione was a mudblood. Although Draco had his doubts, he had wanted to do what his father expected him to do with Hermione. He'd wanted his father's approval.

  


Now he was a whirlwind of shame, doubt, hatred, sadness, and anger. He turned around, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn't come.

  


Hermione watched the scene unfold with awe. Draco Malfoy was starting to cry in front of her eyes. She had never in a million years, arrogant young Malfoy to cry. In front of her, of all people! She couldn't help noticing how different his face looked with the characteristic smirk. It was fine boned and soft and smooth, not intimidating or rough. Hermione felt a new feeling well up in her. Pity? Was she really pitying Draco Malfoy, her worst enemy?

  


Draco was almost unaware of the tears trickling down his face. He willed himself to stop. _I am crying in front of Hermione Granger,_ he realized slowly. _She must think I am the biggest jerk on earth. Nearly rape her and then cry about my own problems._

  


Hermione finally looked up at him, her eyes full of sadness. "I'm sorry, Malfoy. I really am."

  


Draco's expression changed like lightning. He was suddenly angry, his face seething with rage.

  


"DO NOT PITY ME! I DON'T NEED SOME LOW LIFE MUDBLOOD FEELING SORRY FOR ME!?"

  


_So, _thought Hermione ruefully, _this is what I get for reaching out a helping hand. This is what I get for letting my guard down against him. _Losing her fragile temper altogether, she screamed, " YOU ARE _JUST_ LIKE YOUR FATHER! SOME ARROGANT BASTARD WHO SHOOTS DOWN THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S _EVER_ BEEN NICE TO HIM!"

  


At that point Hermione did not care what the consequences were, although she knew he'd be angry. His eyes were on fire, and she seemed to burn under his very gaze. He could hear her words ring off the hard stone walls and into the immense silence that followed.

  


"You are NOT the only person who's ever been nice to me!" he yelled weakly. With that he spit in her face and whirled out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Hermione heard him yell the lock to her door, although the words were muffled.

  


"MALFOYS!" Hermione yelled angrily to the silent air around her._ Arrogant, two-timing, good-for-nothing, greedy, slimy . . . _

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  


"GRANGERS!" Draco screamed as he stomped up the stairs. _Witless, worthless, temperamental, muggle born, stubborn ass . . . _


	8. Out of the Malfoy Dungeons

  
  
  
  
  


((A.N. Hi, everyone! Sorry about the long wait! I went camping and now school has started so I can't update as frequently as before, but I will try! This is one of my favorite chapters... the turning of the tides! Sorry if I take Draco a little out of character, but I had to eventually to make this story work. Read and Review please!))

  


Disclaimer: You know. I claim nothing. Just the plot. Thank you J.K Rowling for creating Harry Potter much to the delight of us.

  
  


*** TWO WEEKS LATER***

  
  


Draco sighed and moved off of the bed. He walked over to the window and opened it with a whoosh, leaning out and taking in the view. Somehow it lacked the usual breath-taking effect that he had come to know.

  


Indeed, Draco was troubled. His faced screwed up in intense concentration as he tried to organize the thoughts in his head. _This is all Grangers fault, _he thought with intensity. He hadn't been to see her for more than two weeks and Draco remotely wondered if his father had noticed. Ever since their fight, though, he hadn't been able to shake off the thought of her. _Probably because she made me so angry,_ he concluded. In the days past she had seemed to pop into his mind at the oddest of times. When he was flying on his broomstick, listening to music, or even looking into Pansy's eyes. In fact, now that Draco thought about it, he could barely do anything without it minding him of Hermione. _Damn her!_ He thought crazily. _How could she ruin my life like this? Everything is her fault! Everything!_

  


Finally Draco decided that there had to be some way to end this madness. Hermione had simply made him angry and that was the reason for thinking about her. _Of course!_ He thought. _All I have to do is go and see her so I won't be mad at her anymore! That's it._ Draco smiled in the dappling afternoon sun streaming through his window. He was positive that seeing her would make everything clearer. Little did he know that seeing her would do quite the opposite.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  


Hermione unwillingly let herself drift back to reality. She didn't open her eyes, but instead lingered on the dream she had been having. _Something about a beautiful rose garden_, Hermione remembered dreamily. Then she sadly opened her eyes to find herself confined to the cell, as always.

  


It had gotten worse in the past few weeks. Hermione had stopped caring whether it was day or night, what time it was, or even what week it was. She her neither lost nor gained a pound, for although they didn't feed her much, she got no exercise at all. Like a stone she would sit, minute after minute, hour after hour, until sleep took her once more.

  


The only thin that kept her going was when Narcissa visited. This was a high point in Hermione's day. Narcissa would bring food, games, and chatter. Hermione and Narcissa would talk for hours on end, and indeed they became fast friends. Narcissa was often busy, however, and couldn't stay long. Hermione found herself becoming more and more depressed with every passing day. 

  


She found herself wishing, strangely enough, that Draco would come to see her. _Probably because I'm so bored,_ Hermione reasoned logically. _Even if we are shouting insults at each other the entire time, it is more interesting than just sitting here._

  


She heard the lock to her door click and looked up. She almost yelped when it was Draco that stepped in. He was once again wearing that mocking smirk that Hermione detested.

  


"Hello, Granger," he greeted her as coldly as ever.

  


"Malfoy," she said lightly, matching his tone of voice.

  


"Got a little emotional the other night, didn't you?" She said acidly. The young Malfoy made sure his expression didn't falter.

  


"Me, emotional? You were doing the yelling, Granger," he retorted slyly.

  


"That's true," she said in a modest tone. "You were doing the crying, though."

  


This time Draco looked away quickly.

  


Hermione smiled for the first time in a long time. She'd never realized how much she enjoyed taunting him. 

  


"It's okay, Malfoy," she said in a mock serious tone. "It's okay to cry."

  


He looked up at her, his eyes filled with rage. Hermione's face broke into a grin and she began laughing wildly. Draco couldn't stop a smile from breaking over his face too.

  


"Are you making fun of me, Granger?" he said disbelievingly. "I never even knew you had a sense of humor."

  


She looked at him, still smiling. Suddenly her smile faded.

  


"Listen, Malfoy, this is going to be very difficult for you to understand," Hermione said slowly. Draco wondered what she was talking about but said nothing.

  


"Well, I haven't been out of the cell in, well, ages. I don't even know if it's morning or night. I figured that even you would have the sympathy to let me out, even just for a few minutes." Hermione looked at him with pleading eyes. Draco gave a short, harsh laugh.

  
  


"And you think I would do that for you, Granger?" Draco asked doubtfully.

  


Hermione tilted er head sideways for a few seconds, apparently thinking. "No actually, I don't. Never mind. Stupid of me to even–

  


"How do I know you wont escape?" Draco asked slowly.

  


She looked at him as if he was insane. "Well, that's a little obvious, isn't it, Malfoy? First of all, I have no idea where this manor is located. We could be in the middle of nowhere for all I know, miles from any civilization. Second of all," she held out er hands in a peacemaking fashion. "Do you see a wand here? I take one step towards the door and you whip out your wand and full body-bind me." Hermione looked at him skeptically. "See how it'd be just a tiny bit difficult for me to escape?" Hermione said, a hint of desperation in her voice.

  


"Okay, okay," Draco said finally. "You probably can't escape. But may I remind you that we are still arch enemies? If I let you out of this cell, you'll have to do a little something for me."

  


Hermione looked at him disbelievingly. Whatever Draco had in mind, it would be terrible, she knew it. _But to get out of the God forsaken cell for a few minutes?_ Hermione reasoned, _I'll do anything._ Groaning, she said, "You have a deal, Malfoy."

  


Draco's smirk grew wider, causing the pit of her stomach to drop. He strode over to her and squatted down. It reminded Hermione sickeningly of Lemanus Gilroy, and she backed against the wall. Draco was looking at her strangely, his face not more than an inch away.

  


"Calm down, Granger," he said casually, taking a hold of her arm. "I'm trying to get your chains undone." Hermione inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and wondered if he had on purposely tried to scare her. She felt his smooth hands lift her arm up. He stared at it intently, before saying, "Of course." He pulled out his wand and muttered '_precipuus ostium'_ Hermione frowned, wondering why she'd never heard of that spell. Once both of her chains were undone, Draco straightened up. Hermione rotated her wrists, feeling strangely free. Then she tried to stand up, but to his surprise, stumbled forward onto her knees. He reached out a hand to help her. Just as she reached for it, he caught himself and snatched his hand back. She fell harder and looked up at him with daggers for eyes. He thought he heard her mutter something like, 'such a gentleman' under her breath.

  


"Having trouble learning to walk, are we, Granger?" Draco asked mockingly. Bracing herself against the wall, she slowly stood up. Her leg muscles were almost nonexistent for weeks of not walking. She felt her face go scarlet with embarrassment as she looked up. Draco felt an uncalled pang of pity hit him; she looked so pathetic, barely holding herself up, her legs wobbling terribly. He forced this unknown feeling out of his mind and smirked.

  


"Follow me, Granger," he said slyly. "That is, if you _can_." With that Draco turned and walked fluidly out of the cell, wondering if Hermione would be able to follow.


	9. Into the Malfoy Woods

  
  
  
  
  
  


((A.N. Hey people!!! Thanks for the great, great wonderful reviews last chapters and I'm sorry this took a while to get up also. Thanks so much to: Moon Burst, kat, katie, Draco-Malfoy-Severus-Luna, Apollonia2, Draco_Fan, Catherine, hinkypunk2, and Twisted Silver Dagger. About Pansy in the previous chapters, I decided to make her a bit different from the cliche' Pansy that everyone uses, just to add drama to this story! And I'm sorry if I have to take Draco even more out of character. This is my favorite chapter so far and I hope that it will be yours too! Read and Review to see!))

  


Disclaimer: J.K. owns everything. I own the plot. Thank you J.K. for the inspiration.

  
  


Hermione stumbled as they began to climb the stairs out of the dungeons. She noticed Draco looking nervously ahead, his eyes intent on the top of the stairwell. He cautiously sidled around every corner they turned. Finally they reached the top of the stairs and Draco inched the door open.

  


Hermione quickly found that it was daytime because the second the sun hit her eyes, she was blinded.

  


"Argh!" she screamed, throwing her hands up to shield her burning eyes. It had been nearly a month since she had seen sunlight and Hermione felt as though she had come within an inch of the sun.

  


"Granger!" Draco growled in a fierce whisper, silencing her with a wave of his hand. He crept through a doorway to the left and Hermione followed him as best she could. She was still blinded, however, and banged stupidly against a wall.

  


"GRANGER!" came Draco's strangled cry. "You must be the biggest klutz I've ever seen!" His head appeared in the doorway.

  


"It's all clear," he said suddenly. "My parents have gone out to dinner and they've taken the floo network. I don't know when they'll be back, though," he stated, seeming a bit apprehensive. Then he asked, "Can you see anything at all?" He crossed his arms over his chest in a solid manner.

  


"Well, sort of," she said, removing her hands from her face cautiously. She tried squinting around but found everything to be hazy, as if seen through dirty glass.

  


"Fine, then, let's go," Draco said impatiently. They began walking out of the living room ant into the foyer. To her surprise, he opened the front door and they strode down huge stone steps and off of the pebble path.

  


"May I ask where we're going, and why?" Hermione questioned huffily. She began taking long strides, keeping directly behind Draco.

  


"There's some woods behind my house. That's where we're going," he said in a dismissive tone. She noted that he'd never answered the second part of her question. She eyed the back of his head suspiciously.

  


"How do I know you're not just taking me into the woods to hurt me or something?" she questioned, narrowing her eyes.

  


He turned around and grabbed her wrist. He was wearing what looked like almost an amused expression as he said, "Granger. If I had wanted to hurt you, I could've done it back in that cell. Trust me this once, okay?"

  


Then he turned around and continued walking in front of her at a faster pace. Hermione considered his words for a few moments, then replied, "That's asking a lot, you know, Malfoy. Trusting you, I mean."

  


Without turning around he replied, "I know. But you know what's asking even more? Asking you to be quiet."

  


"What, is my talking annoying you?" Hermione said, feigning a hurt tone. Draco grinned, but didn't let her see.

  


"It's not so much the talking, it's the talking to _you_," he retorted.

  


"Oh, I see how it is. Okay then, I'll be quiet," Hermione said regally.

  


They tramped closer and closer to the woods, which to Hermione seemed a dark and forbidding as the Forbidden Woods behind Hogwarts.

  


In the late afternoon light, Draco asked himself why he had taken Hermione out of the cell. He had risked his father seeing them, he had risked everything he had. Why? For some mudblood he hated?

  


At the same time Hermione realized that Draco was taking an awful gamble letting her out. She shooed this out of her mind as they reached the edge of the woods.

  


Without a word Draco plunged into the dark forest, crunching nosily through the undergrowth. Hermione reluctantly followed him, feeling apprehensive about the whole situation. She wondered for the thousandth time why they were even there.

  


After a few minutes of noisy silence, Draco decided to say, "You know how I said that if I let you out of that cell you'd have to do something for me? Well, that's why we're here. The thing I want you to do is in here."

  


Although he couldn't see it, Hermione's eyes widened comically.

"In . . . in here? What is it you wanted me to do in _here?_" she asked, not bothering to hide the tremor in her voice. 

  


"You'll see," Draco said. He turned around and smirked at her, and he looked oddly sinister in the half darkness that prevailed. Hermione shivered inwardly but had no choice but to follow.

  


After five or ten minutes of picking their way through the woods, it became noticeably lighter and the trees thinned overhead. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the translucent leaves above, causing the air around them to hold a shimmery glow. Soon Hermione even heard the soft trickle of a nearby brook. 

  


"Here is it!" Draco said, a hint of happiness in his voice. They reached a clearing and Draco pulled a fern aside, revealing what was within.

  


"This is what I want you to do, Granger," Draco said, a smile playing at his mouth.

  


Hermione's eyes widened in complete and utter disbelief. She turned to Draco, a million questions racing through her head.

  


((A.N. What sinister object or person do you believe lies in the clearing?))


	10. The Magical Clearing

  
  
  
  
  


((Hey everyone! Sorry about the big delay. See, I've been obsessively writing, but haven't been typing the chapters out. (I write everything by hand first then type it!) I have lots written, none typed. Thank you to all of you reviewers and I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, it was just too tempting! Keep in mind, I did not try to make this romance just like all other D/H's, so bear with me if it's a bit different. Ok, well definitely tell me what you think about this chapter when you're done!=D))

  


Disclaimer...: J.K. owns everything except the plot. Thanks J.K.

  
  
  


Relief washed over Hermione's whole body. In the clearing was a patch of ripe, juicy looking fruit. Hermione didn't believe Draco at all._ He's joking,_ she thought certainly. 

  


"_Blackberries_? You want me to pick–_ blackberries_?"

  


"Precisely," Draco said in his most dignified tone. "I hate picking blackberries, but I love eating them. That's where you come in, Granger."

  


"Are you serious? Picking them is the best part! I don't care for the fruit much, but I'd always go with my mother just to pick them!" She looked at him, still disbelieving, and realized that for the first time all day he was wearing a real smile. And how that smile changed his face. So different was his smile from his smirk that his whole face had become softer, more mature. He looked nicer than she'd ever seen him, and he was certainly acting different also.

  


"Good," he answered quickly. "You can pick while I eat."

  


Hermione reveled in the silliness of the entire scene. She and her worst enemy, in a forest, talking civilly about picking blackberries. The irony of it made her laugh out loud. _At the same time,_ she realized,_ it feels so right._

  


Sighing, she crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't want to be the only one picking them."

  


Draco stared at her in amused disbelief. "Listen, Granger, I like eating, you like picking. What's the problem? Besides, my hands always get cut up and turn all purple."

"Well, obviously no one has taught you how to pick blackberries properly. That's an important life skill, you know," she said seriously, looking into his eyes.

  


"Oh, alright," Draco grumbled half-heartedly. "But only if I get to eat all of them."

  


"It's a deal," Hermione said quickly. "Now, the first thing you have to do is..."

  


So within the hour, a huge pile of blackberries had accumulated at the foot of the tree in the clearing. Satisfied with their work, Hermione and Draco sat down t the edge of the clearing. Hermione leaned against a tree facing Draco. 

For the first time, Hermione looked at him completely. Not as she had always seen him, as the blonde haired first year who had been her arch enemy since they came to Hogwarts, but as he was now. He had grown a good deal taller than her, and his chest and arms had toned out nicely. His arm and stomach muscles showed under the tight T-shirt he wore. Even his hair had changed. Instead of wearing it glued back like she remembered, it was only slightly gelled back, and a few strands had broken free and hung down around his face. His face was fine-boned ans it subtly softened the rest of his masculine features. Now his azure blue eyes seemed relaxed, and were further intensified by his smooth, pale skin. Hermione realized that he was something Harry and Ron were not. _He is,_ she thought_, for lack of a better word. . . classy._

  


Draco popped a blackberry into his mouth and said, "I don't mind this picking so much anymore. I suppose I owe you thanks, Hermione."

  


"Hermione?" she said indignantly, raising her eyebrows. 

  


Draco shrugged. "Well, I guess that since you called me Draco once, I should get to call you by your first name at least once."

  


" I like 'Draco' better than 'Malfoy,'" she admitted. "Malfoy reminds me of your father too much." She wrinkled her nose. 

  


"Yeah, it does," Draco said. "Just call me Draco from now on. Just because, you know. . . I like it better." He flushed and looked away, kicking himself for not controlling his emotions better. For some reason it was getting harder and harder to do lately.

  


Trying to hide her own embarrassment, Hermione said, "Well, if I call you Draco, then it only makes sense for you to call me Hermione."

  


Draco simply nodded in agreement, staring into her eyes. _God, she's beautiful,_ he thought suddenly and practically slapped himself for thinking it. All he managed to do, however, was flush even more. To hide it he quickly checked his wristwatch.

  


"It's 6:00, and it's getting dark in here. We'd better leave."

  


"What's wrong with staying in here longer? Are you afraid of the dark or something?" Hermione asked jokingly.

  


There was a moments silence.

  


"No," came Draco's rushed reply. Hermione put a hand over her mouth, wide eyed.

  


"You are!" she said, laughing as she spoke.

  


"No, I'm _not,_" Draco said more forcefully.

  


"At least it's not s bad as my fear of _chipmunks!_" Hermione admitted, laughing even harder. This time Draco had to laugh also. Hermione noted that this was the first time she had ever seen him laugh. 

  


"Chipmunks can be scary," he reasoned, trying to keep a straight face.

  


The laughter died down into an intense silence in which they simply stared at each other in the dimming light.

  


"In any case, we'd better go before my parents get back," Draco said, trying to sound business like. Then, contemplating whether he should say more, she said, "We probably should. I had a really good time. I never would've expected that, with you at least." She smiled shyly.

  


He playfully hit her on the shoulder. "Thanks a lot, Grang–Hermione." He smiled down at her, taking in her tinted eyes, bright despite the darkness. They stood up, beginning their journey back. Finally they reached the manor, which looked majestic bathed in gold of the setting sun, its high roofs sloping in and out of the silver shadows. Fortunately, there were no lights on.

  


"There's still no one home," Draco commented, sighing with relief. They made their way to the front door and opened it.

  


They were halfway across the shadowy living room when the figure of Lucius Malfoy burst through the fireplace, shortly followed by Lemanus Gilroy. Surrounded by green flames, their shadows flickering across the floor, the men turned to face the two young figures, standing alone in the middle of the room. Draco looked around for an escape, but did not find one. Hermione screamed. 

  


((A.N. Tell me in a review how you think Lucius, Draco and Hermione will react.))


	11. A Likely Story

  
  
  
  


(( Hey, readers! I wrote an extra long chapter this time because my other ones have been rather short. So how are Hermione and Draco going to get out of this one? Yeah, I had a hard time thinking of a way too. Reviewers, your ideas are really helping me and I actually use some of them because they are brilliant! Thank you all of you! I'm almost at 100 reviews! *does a dance* 100 reviews has always been my dream. . . well I hope you guys like this one, review when you're done!))

  


Disclaimer: J.K. owns everything. Not the plot though. 

  
  


Draco and Hermione stared dumbfounded at the looming figures before them. It was Draco who recovered his wits first. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before whispering, "Play along."

  


Suddenly he grabbed both of her arms and brought them behind her back. Lucius turned to stare at them. Jerking her savagely, Draco yelled, " You _filthy _mudblood girl! How _dare_ you defy a Malfoy! Trying to escape will get you nowhere." For good measure, he kneed her from behind, causing her to drop to her knees. Suddenly Narcissa burst out of the fireplace after Lucius and Lemanus. Now all three of them were staring at Draco and Hermione. 

  


Draco kicked her again, harder. Hermione took it as a cue to start crying. She sobbed and put her head down, trying to make the tears real.

  


Lucius's cold eyes bored down onto her bowed head. Lemanus was trying to stare into Draco's eyes, though his head was bowed also.

  


"What is this?" Lucius hissed, looking down at Draco accusingly. Draco forced his face to fill with rage.

  


"Filthy mudblood! She stole my wand. . ." Draco paused, apparently overcome with rage, but really trying to make up something to say next. ". . . unlocked her chains and the door without me seeing! She was halfway out the front door when I caught her!" Draco roared, looking down at her in disgust.

  


"I'm sorry," she whispered feebly. "I never should have tried it." She began sobbing into the carpet pitifully, and Draco was caught between laughing out loud at her superior acting skills and murdering his father on the spot. He decided that murdering his father would be the smarter one, and he looked up, true malice in his eyes.

  


"You say that this filth. . . tried to _escape_?" Lucius asked, practically spitting out the words. He looked as if he did not believe it. Draco inclined his head, hoping that he looked as if he could barely contain his rage.

  


In the meantime, Hermione noticed that something strange was taking place before her. Lemanus Gilroy had not taken his eyes off the top of Draco's head. Although this was strange in itself, even stranger was that Narcissa was giving Hermione a piercing glare from behind Lucius, looking from Lemanus to Draco and back. _She is trying to tell me something, _Hermione thought suddenly. Why wouldn't Lemanus take his eyes off of Draco? Hermione remembered when he had looked at her with those piercing, scrutinizing eyes. Those eyes that seemed to see all, seemed to know all. . . those eyes. _Those eyes!_ Suddenly a jolt went through her like thunder. Lemanus Gilroy knew Legilimancy, Hermione was sure of it. . . and the most important part of Legilimancy was eye contact. All that Draco had to do was look up into Lemanus's eyes and their secret would be revealed. She had to warn Draco somehow.

  


"Malfoy!" she screamed fervently, trying to catch his eye. He looked down at her coldly, but there was a hint of confusion in his eyes. How could she tell him without being absolutely obvious?

  


"Not you, Malfoy," she said calmly, looking away from Draco, "the other one." At the same time she kicked his leg, nearly causing him to buckle with pain. She needed him to listen. She turned to Lucius and looked him in the eye.

  


"I have heard that. . . that. . . The Dark Lord is skilled at Legilimancy, or the reading of minds," she started slowly, hoping to catch his interest enough so that he would not silence her completely. 

  


Lucius's eyes bulged with fury, but he was apparently interested. He muttered, "Go on, girl."

  


"And. . . I have heard that some of his servants. . . most of his servants, to be precise, are also skilled at the reading of minds. I have heard that _eye contact must be kept or Legilimancy is not effective._" Hermione kicked Draco again, but did not risk a look.

  


"What is the point of this, girl? Out with it!" Lucius snarled, losing his patience.

  


"You see. . . I've been considering learning Legilimancy myself," Hermione finished, trying to sound convincing.

  


Lemanus barked out a laugh, the first sound he had made all day. Although it was tempting, Hermione fought the urge to look at him. She had said all she could. Now she only hoped that Draco was shrewd enough to pick up her subtle hints.

  


"You," Lemanus began in his shrouded voice, "would never have the brains, the subtlety, or the _blood_ to partake in such an art." Hermione kept her face lowered to the ground as he spoke.

  


"_Enough_ of this obviously pointless conversation!" Lucius roared in disgust.

  


"Back to the matter at hand. You have acted irresponsibly, Draco, and deserve proper punishment. You left your wand unattended and let _her _escape. Inexcusable, really," Lucius said, his eyes bearing into Draco's. He looked down at a trembling Hermione,

  


"As for you. . ." Lucius started, but Narcissa put her arm on his shoulder.

  


"If I may, Lucius, the girl has done no harm and I don't see the point in punishing her," Narcissa stated calmly, her voice set in a bring drawl. Hermione wondered at how detached she sounded. Draco's father's head slowly turned to face Narcissa.

  


"Do you _really think," _he began, his voice growing gradually louder, " that I would let this sniveling vermin get away with DEFYING A MALFOY?! SHE WILL BE INFINITELY SORRY FOR WHAT SHE HAS DONE!" The roar shook the crests on the mantle place, and Narcissa backed against the wall, shocked into silence. Lucius turned back to Hermione. In a perfectly controlled voice, he said, " Tell me that you are sorry."

  


"I'm sorry," Hermione sobbed quietly.

  


"Master," Lucius added, barely a whisper.

  


"Master," she said desperately.

  


"Tell me that you will do anything I ask," Lucius whispered, a smile curling upon his face. 

  


At this Hermione said nothing. She stayed on her knees, staring at the ground. That statement was something that she could not utter willingly. If she did, she was condemning herself to almost certain death. Draco looked up, sensing that Lucius was getting very angry. He took a menacing step toward Hermione, and Draco's heart began pounding.

  


"Say it," Draco said, more gently than he had meant to. He gave her arms a small squeeze. Draco knew his father too well to let her disobey.

  


Hermione looked up at Lucius, her eyes welling with tears. Her chin trembled as she pronounced, " I will do anything. . . you ask."

  


A smile, first a smirk, then growing broader, spread across his sickeningly pleased face.

  


"It is settled, then. I will tell you, Draco, what the girl is to do when the time comes.

  


Draco simply inclined his head, to many emotions inside of his to speak.

  


"Take her down to the dungeons if you will, Draco. We will discuss your punishment later. Come, Narcissa," Lucius said pompously, beckoning to her. With one last terrified glance backwards, Narcissa darted out of the room behind the two men. 

  


Draco let go of Hermione's arms abruptly. She got up shakily at turned to stare at him.

  


"Not here," Draco muttered, pointing towards the door into the hall. Hermione nodded and started towards the door, Draco behind her. They proceeded down to the dungeons and into the cell. As soon as Draco shut the door, Hermione sighed and leaned against the wall. Draco shut his eyes, ashamed at what he had done. _How could you have been so self centered, blaming everything on her?_ he asked himself, lowering his head in disgust. How would he explain? They both looked up at the same time, meeting each others eyes. To Draco's tremendous surprise, Hermione's face broke into a smile.

  


"That was some pretty fast talking, Mal–Draco. You should be an actor someday. Do you think he believed it?" she asked coyly.

  


"You mean you're not mad that I blamed absolutely everything on you?" he said, shocked into smirking with relief. 

  


Hermione's faced turned serious. "What choice did you have? If you would've blamed yourself, he would've been furious. What use would it be for us to both take punishment? Besides, if Lucius found out that we. . . that we didn't hate each other, what would he do?"

  


"That's true," Draco said, gratefully taking some excuse to justify his actions. "But I still feel bad. 

  


He carefully looked up at her and realized that she'd been staring at him. Hermione noticed that his eyes had filled with true remorse at what he'd done.

  


"Granger," Draco said, not bothering to correct himself this time, "do you really think that Lemanus knows how to read minds?"

  


"You got my clues then! You _are_ smarter than I thought, Draco," Hermione said in her know-it-all tone. 

  


"But we'll think about all this tomorrow. . . if you come and see me, that is," Hermione said, her voice taking and edge he had never heard.

  


" I just want you to know. . . I won't let him hurt you, Hermione," Draco said, his voice spiked with fury. "Everything's changed," Draco mused, more to himself than to her. Suddenly he wondered why he was being so sentimental these days. He remembered how had been only a few weeks ago, the emotionless son of a controlling father. Back then, his heart had beat faintly, and without purpose. Then, his skin had been pale as the light of the moon, his blue eyes dull. Now, his cheeks were slightly flushed, his eyes sparking with unhidden emotion for the first time. Now, he could feel his heart, strong within his chest, beating for a reason. And a small part of him believed, or wanted to believe, that the person that had changed him was Hermione.

  


Now Draco moved forward to stand opposite Hermione. Hermione closed her eyes, moving forward slightly. Draco was startled. Instead of kissing her, Draco reached out and gave her a fierce hug, which she returned. Draco had never been hugged by anyone, and he felt strangely warm and comforted. She pulled away slightly, looking into his eyes. He stared back.

  


"I. . . I guess I'll come see you tomorrow," he said softly, not taking his eyes off hers.

  


"I suppose you will," Hermione said softly. She seemed far away. _How could I have thought that he would kiss me?_ She wondered in the back of her mind. She had made such a fool of herself. _And, _she added silently,_ I wanted him to kiss me._

  


There was no more denying it. For the first time in her life, Hermione had fallen for someone. And Harry would have a heart attack if he knew who it was. 

  
  
  


(( A.N. What do you think Hermione's punishment will be? Tell me in your review!))

  



	12. As the Wind Blows

  
  
  


((A.N. Hi everyone!!! Have you ever just written pages and pages of total crap? Well that's what happened to me lately. Don't worry, I finally wrote some good stuff! (I hope) I'm really sorry about the delay, but school and some other crap(mentioned above) has been getting in the way of writing. WOO-HOO!!! *screams* 100 reviews!!! Yay yay yay!!! Thank you all of my reviewers!!! I REALLY appreciate your feedback, no matter how small or large! Keep it coming! This is a short, dark chapter with a different approach. Hope you like it! Read and review!))

Disclaimer: You know what Im gonna say... J.K. owns. Everything. Not the plot.

  
  
  
  


"The Dark Lord grows restless," said a sickeningly cold voice from behind Lucius. Lucius whirled around angrily, his cloak flowing across the floor.

  


"I understand that, Lemanus, but what is there that we can do? We have not yet found a way to infiltrate this. . . this Order that our Lord has discovered."

  


"There is only one way, Lucius. We must use your son to gain access into the Order of the Phoenix. However. . ." Lemanus trailed off, but Lucius knew by his voice what Lemanus was suggesting.

  


"What _is_ it?" Lucius questioned, his temper flaring.

  


Lemanus slowly drew up the goblet that he was sipping from. "I question the boy's intentions, Lucius. Although the first time I met him I saw nothing amiss, there has been a fear growing inside of me. He would not look at me this night . . . obviously he has something to hide."

  


"Draco is my_ son_," Lucius said threateningly. "Long have I taught him the Malfoy way, long have I implemented the proper thoughts into his mind. I fear that for once your suspicions are wrong, Lemanus. Never would Draco cross me. He knows the consequences well enough to think twice."

  


Lemanus seemed to consider that and took a slow, deep breath. " So it is, Lucius. So it is. However, there has been a growing idea in my mind for quite a long time. The answer to our problem lies in your hands, Lucius."

  


The tall candles in their sinewy holders cast a flickering glow upon Lucius's face. It was shadowed, all except the eyes, which seemed to glow malevolently in the darkness of the night.

  


"What is this. . . solution you speak so casually of?" Lucius whispered, not daring to hope. Lemanus's long oily hair draped across most of his face, hiding the foul expression Lucius was sure hid underneath.

  


"You will not like it, Lucius. You will not like it at all, and neither do I."

  


"I am sure, Lemanus, that I will like it far more than the Dark Lord having or heads for not thinking of a solution at all. Tell me now and I will ask no more."

  


Lemanus stared at the figure across from him, wondering if it was safe to tell Lucius his idea. He spoke softly, hesitantly at first, but as he continued his voice picked up.

  


"My idea involves the boy, yes, but it involves this. . . this Granger girl also." Lemanus paused, waiting to see Lucius's reaction, but there came none. So he continued, "Lord Voldemort would see it as a blasphemy if the girl were to be made a Death Eater, as would I, I assure you. The more I think about it, however, the more I realize that it is the only way. If Our Lord knew that the girl would die once her part was finished, perhaps he would consider it. After all, the girl is bound to _you_, Lucius."

  


Lucius's head snapped up dangerously, and Lemanus whispered, "You know of what it is I speak. . . or have you forgotten already?"

  


The Malfoy paused.

  


"I certainly have not forgotten. The ancient magic that lies in this house, in my blood, in my _sons_ blood is never forgotten. I suppose that since the girl made her promise to me within the mansions walls, she is indeed bound to me."

  


"Then the spell has already set in, Lucius. Cannot you see that this is how Salazaar Slytherin intended his magic to work? She _cannot _betray you, she _will not _betray you. Whatever you say, she is obligated to do. This is the ancient magic of your family, is it not?" Lemanus leaned forward, his eyes shining with an unseen eagerness.

  


"The spell that you cast unknowingly this night in the presence of Draco will hold her to her word. It is in this way that we will use the people closest to Harry Potter to lure him into Lord Voldemort's web. It will not be simple, Lucius, but it will be easier than using the boy. He will still have a part, I assure you, and a large part at that. This is the answer we have been waiting for."

  


After Lemanus had finished, he waited for the onslaught of opposition that he knew would come from Lucius. To his surprise, none came. Lucius asked quietly, "When is it that you have thought of this?"

  


Lemanus replied, "Ever since I saw the girl. When I looked into her eyes, I saw a spark . . . a flame. I knew immediately that the girl would play some larger role in our plan."

  


Abruptly, through the open window came a gust. The candles flickered and in a snap had gone out. It had been a calm night; no wind at all except for that sudden gust.

  


In the darkness that prevailed, the half moon cast a cold glow into the shadowy room. A sinister air flowed from the window, and the two men stared at each other, ceasing to move at all. In a whisper that seemed like a shout in the immense silence of the night, Lucius said,

  


"We shall see. Indeed, we shall see."

  
  
  
  


((A.N. Hermione, a Death Eater? What do you think? Tell me in your review!))


	13. The Dream

  
  
  
  


((A.N. Hi! Sorry about the huge delay, as always, but that term paper I have to write has really been taking up too much writing time! I wrote two huge chapters, and really I've just been saving up writing so you guys wouldn't have to wait so long in between chapters! I wouldn't blame you if you had to o back and read the last chapter just to recap! The next one will be post very soon, since it's already written and typed. This chapter contains a lot of Draco's thoughts, and some set up for later chapters. ))

  


Disclaimer: J.K. Owns. Everything. Plot? No.

  
  
  


The next morning Draco woke up in a cold sweat. The moment he opened his eyes he jumped out of bed and flung open the shutters of his window. He leaned out and sucked in the gentle morning air, trying to slow the rapid pace of his heart. He had experienced the rose garden dream again, but this time things were clearer than they'd ever been. 

  


He had been walking again in the rose garden. Hundreds of velvet red roses lined the pathway, reaching out to him. All of them were beautiful and promising, but the scarlet roses were not what Draco was looking for. He was looking for something that had eluded him for too long. When he began to get frustrated, he saw a golden light in the corner of his vision. He turned to it, knowing that whatever was encompassed in the golden light was exactly what he longed for. Draco moved toward the golden light, finally getting close enough to see what lay inside. A beautiful golden rose shimmered in the predawn light. It was as magical and intoxicating as the scarlet roses, and a thousand times more beautiful. This flower was as pure and powerful as the Northern Star, shimmering alone in the sky.

  


Then a sword descended upon the golden rose's stem, wielded by the man with no face. It was at that moment that pain exploded in Draco as if the sword had been plunged into his own heart. He awoke with only a fraction of the pain still writhing inside him, but terrible pain. Certainly not something caused by a dream. _No, not a dream._

  


He hated being confused, and confused was indeed what Draco was. Whenever he was around Hermione, he seemed to subconsciously let his guard down. _Not a good thing to, ever, _he reminded himself harshly. He felt different today. There were strange emotions inside of him, emotions he did not want to feel. Like the warm sensation he got when he heard Hermione's voice, or the odd thrill of looking at her. His mind kept telling him that these were weak feelings to have, petty feelings that only weak people got, but something else told him differently. Perhaps it was his heart, though Draco mused that his heart had never told him anything before this. With girls, Draco was always smooth and calculated. He only wanted one thing from them, and he got that easily enough, but with Hermione this was again different. With her he constantly found himself tongue-tied, or else flushed in the face. This was not Draco Malfoy, at least not the one he knew. _Is it that bad? Am I not myself anymore?_

  


_Going to see her won't make_ _things any better,_ he told himself. Yet even as these words flew through his mind, Draco found his feet carrying him to the dungeons.

  
  


_** ** ** ** **_

  
  


Hermione felt a great sense of relief when it was Draco who entered. At the same time, her heart pounded painfully in her chest. _Get a hold of yourself._ She thought savagely. _This is Draco Malfoy you're dealing with!_

  


Draco shut the door and turned to stare at her. After a few moments, he said, "It would be a hell of a lot easier for me to hate you, Gran-Hermione, you know that?"

  


"That it would, Malfoy, that it would," she said, using his last name as an impact. "But I learned long ago that it is not in our power to choose whom we hate or love."

  


Draco looked her in the eye and saw beauty far beyond her simple features.

  


"My father is at work until five," Draco said, as much to himself as to her. Hermione regarded him carefully.

  


"You don't mean to . . . " she stated cautiously, but Draco cut her off.

  


"I have a great idea," h said suddenly, his eyes lighting up, but face never changing. "It involves us getting you out of here, of course." At Hermione's disapproving glance, he added, "C'mon, Hermione, do something risky for once."

  


Hermione noticed his eyes, the subtle change in them. "Oh, all right," she said heavily. "If Lucius sees us together again, it's your turn to make up the excuse."

  


"I made up the excuse last time!" Draco said. "I thought that you were supposed to be the witty one." Hermione laughed coyly at this, and held out her forearms. Draco came over and took her hands, muttering the spell that undid the shackles.

  


Quietly they opened the cell door and snuck out, their footsteps barely making a sound on the stone floor. When they reached the final corner, Draco turned around to face Hermione. 

  


"If something goes wrong and we run into my father, let me do the talking. If you cross him twice, he'll really have it in for you. I'll tell him it was my fault this time, I promise."

  


Hermione was so dumbfounded that she could only nod, her eyes wide. Was this really the same boy she had always known? _Last time I checked, this guy didn't even have a heart, _Hermione thought. _But now . . . _

  


Abruptly Draco turned around and opened the door. Once again the sunlight that hit Hermione's eyes momentarily blinded her. She recovered quickly, however, and looked down the hall. It looked so much less menacing than it had the night before, although still blank and morbid. Hermione couldn't help feeling as the house itself was soiled and evil, just as much as its inhabitants. She looked up to see a skylight, but the light barely seemed to filter through the glass. When she looked back around, she found that Draco had disappeared. 

  


"Draco?" she called, not more than a whisper. She didn't know who could be in the other rooms. 

  


Suddenly she heard footsteps and had the sudden mental image of Lucius looming in the doorway. Not thinking, she shrank into the shadows of the dark hall way like a cat in the night. As soon as she was hidden she realized that the footsteps were most likely. However, Narcissa buzzed into the hall way, looking more relaxed than Hermione had ever seen her. It occurred to her that this was probably because Lucius was not home. Without a glance at Hermione she passed into the next room. Hermione stood up cautiously before hearing more rapid footsteps. This time Draco rushed in, out of breath. He gave her a half smirk, saying, "You look pale. I told you my father's not home. I checked." Hermione nodded, relieved. She noticed now that in his hands he held two broomsticks; a Nimbus 2001 and a shiny new Firebolt. 

  


"What are the broomsticks for?" Hermione asked apprehensively.

  


Draco gave her one of his scrutinizing looks. "They're for sweeping the floor, what did you think?" he said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. 

  


Hermione laughed, but nervously. "We're not going to use them to . . . fly, are we?"

  


"What else would we use them for?" Draco said tightly, trying not to grind his teeth in frustration. Sometimes girls could be so thickheaded. 

  


"Follow me," Draco said with more ease. As he led the way through the humongous mansion (Hermione was quite sure that she would have gotten lost without him) she said, "Draco, I'm terrible with a broom. Absolutely dreadful. You know I couldn't fly to save my life." Hermione just knew that she was going to make a fool of herself in front of Draco. Her heart began pounding painfully. 

  


"I'll teach you, then," Draco said slowly. Finally they came to a large white door and once through it found themselves on a field of bright green grass. A fresh morning wind blew, and it reminded Hermione of how long she'd been in stale air. Trees surrounded them on three sides, and the high turrets of the Malfoy Mansion on the fourth.

  


Draco turned to her, making a valiant effort not to be distracted by her huge, abashed brown eyes that sparkled so willingly in the fresh light.

  


"How many times have you tried flying, Granger?" draco said in a slightly interrogative tone.

Hermione paused. "Well, once when we tried flying brooms in first year. Harry let me try his once too, but I crashed before I got into the air." Hermione blushed bashfully. She didn't want Draco to think that she had no coordination. 

  


Draco paused for a moment, his smirk slackening. _When that smirk is off his face, _Hermione thought, _he's absolutely overpowering._

  


__

__

A hard case, Draco mused. _But hell, I taught Crabbe and Goyle how to fly, and they looked like gorillas on ice skates to start off with. Still do, come to think of it, But I'll teach her. I'll make her better than Potter._

  


"The problem is," he started slowly, "that you've never been properly taught, you see. You need a one-on-one teacher to learn how to fly a broom."

  


Hermione blushed at his choice of words, but regarded him carefully. "And what makes you think that you can be the one to teach me?"

  


Draco was apparently unabashed by this question, as he said, "I don't know you, and I've never seen you fly, so I have no predisposition about you whatsoever. We'll start with mounting your broom. It's done like this."

  


In one fluid motion, Draco swung his leg over the broom, balanced perfectly on the slick handle. 

  


Hermione looked at him uncertainly and clumsily swung her leg over the broom handle. Draco immediately sensed a number of errors, but didn't mention them. 

  


"Well . . . sort of. Just straighten your back a bit . . . " he cut off by Hermione toppling over sideways and landing with a thunk on the ground. The scene was so pitiful that Draco could not hold back a bark of laughter. 

  


"You really _are_ clumsier than Longbottom, Granger," Draco drawled profusely. Hermione couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice as she said, "You'd be surprised." 

  


"Okay, let's try that again, slower this time," Draco said patiently. He had truly never seen anyone worse on a broom. Silky, Draco mounted his Firebolt. Hermione followed, a little less clumsily this time. Draco stared openly at her poor posture and terrible stance. Sighing, Draco put down his own broom. He strode over to where she was unsuccessfully trying to stay straight on her broom. 

  


"Granger," Draco said from right behind her, making her jump. She turned to look at him, but he took is eyes off hers quickly. 

  


"It's more like this." Draco put a gentle arm on her shoulders and the other lightly on the small of her back. Hermione shivered inwardly at his gentle touch, as he straightened her posture, tilting her shoulders back gingerly.

  


"Much better," Draco said quietly, almost as if to himself. He tried to keep his outward appearance as calm as possible but he was smiling inwardly at her soft innocence. _She's gorgeous. Why haven't I ever noticed it before?_

  


"Now that you've managed to sit on the broom properly," Draco said, trying and failing to keep the humor out of his voice, "We will try to lift off the ground."

  


Hermione's face paled visibly as Draco picked up his own broom. He mounted again, feeling slightly apprehensive about letting her fly on her own.

  


"Watch me," Draco said. He pushed off lightly with the balls of his feet, and swished a few feet into the air. His every movement was controlled and calculated . He hovered in the air and said, "Just push off lightly."

  


Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Lightly, she pushed off on the balls of her feet, drifting up to where Draco was hovering. She hovered next to him and smiled in amazement. After a few moments, her broomstick vibrated and she slipped to the left. 

  


"Whoa!" Draco said suddenly, reaching out to stop her from slipping. He clasped his hand around her slender waist and she was forced to lean against him as he steadied her. It felt so perfect, clinging to his toned chest, and she moved away, not wanting to be too obvious. Slowly she lowered to the ground. 

  


"Wow," Hermione said breathlessly. Draco decided not to think about exactly what she was talking about. 

  


"See? There you go. You were flying, Granger."

  


Hermione smiled a dazzling, priceless smile directly at him. "I can't believe it," she said, almost a whisper. Draco felt a strong sense of accomplishment. _He _had made her happy, and he would remember that smile forever. 

  
  


((A.N. Well? Was it too fluffy, not fluffy enough, or just right? Please tell me in your review!!!!))

  
  
  
  
  



	14. Soaring Hearts

  
  
  


Hermione looked at Draco with a new sense of trust, a new sense of respect. 

  


Draco looked at her with a devilish smirk. "Care to go a bit higher?" he said softly, an awkward grin falling over his features. 

  


"I don't know. . ." Hermione looked up at him doubtfully.

  


"C'mon, you can handle it! I know you can." 

  


Simply the sound of his voice made Hermione feel daring. "Oh, alright," she muttered agreeably.

  


Carefully she mounted her broom just as Draco had shown her. Draco mounted his and said, "Watch me first and then try." he pushed off gain on his feet, then tilted the handle of his broom slightly upward. He shot up into the air, slowly, elegantly. He seemed to glide with the broom, effortlessly flowing through the air. He turned so that the wind whipped his pale hair from his face, and Hermione found herself feeling very dizzy.

  


He lowered back down to the ground, landing beside her.

  


"You make it look so easily," she said quietly, suddenly feeling awkward and gangly in his presence. He looked as if he was made for soaring through the sky.

  


"It's just practice, Granger. With practice, you could become Gryfinndor's number one player."

  


"Nah, it takes talent too. You and. . . Harry have talent," Hermione said quickly, noticing Draco's grimace at her words. She should have known better than to mention Harry and Draco in the same sentence.

  


"What if I fall?" Hermione said suddenly, looking up at the sky.

  


"You won't fall. Of course you won't fall," Draco said harshly. He knew that if he could make her believe that she wouldn't fall, Hermione would have less a chance of actually falling. 

  


Impulsively Hermione reached out her hand."Will you fly up with me?" she asked shyly. After a slight hesitation, he took her hand and interlaced his fingers in hers carefully. 

  


"So you won't fall," he added quickly. _It would be my fault if she fell, and she could get hurt. If she got hurt, I would most likely be punished. Therefore I am holding Hermione's hand for my own personal gain, _Draco tried to reassure himself. Somehow it didn't work as well as last time. "Okay, push off on 3. 1. . .2. . .3!"

  


Suddenly they were off the ground, moving upward at a pace much faster than Hermione liked. Up and up they drifted, into the seemingly endless sky. Soon Draco pulled his broom straight, and Hermione imitated him. They hovered slightly below the highest turrets of the mansion., and Hermione could see the entire manor. A ways beyond the west wood, horses galloped freely, their manes swishing in the wind. Hermione saw where the north wood ended, and where the blackberry patch lie. To the East there was a river sparkling and leaping in the morning light. From up above the world, everything seemed small and insignificant. It was almost as if she had left all her worries down on the ground. All that mattered was her and Draco. Her and Draco and the wind that carried them.

  


"Are you ready?" Draco called above the wind. He had been observing her expressions of delight. He had decided to give her a surprise.

  


"Ready for what?" she asked, giving him a smile that shone brighter than the sparkling morning light. Draco found himself oddly tongue-tied, and instead of answering, he pushed his broom forward. Hermione, who had been maintaining a death grip on Draco's hand, had no choice but to follow. She pushed her broom forward, keeping right beside him. Draco started off slowly, but gradually picked up his speed. Soon everything was a blur, and Hermione gave a surprised little gasp. They were soaring faster and higher with every moment, soaring above even the tallest peaks of the mansion, and her heart pounded wildly. She felt finally free, free of everything , free of anything. Her spirit soared and suddenly there was no ground, there was no life, there was nothing. All that she saw was a blur, where everything melded together into one. Draco was the only thing that she could see clearly. Suddenly it struck her why Harry and Ron loved quidditch so much. There was no equal to this feeling of flying, and she knew it. It was a way to let go and to be free, a way to forget everything except the fresh morning air whipping across your face.

  


Hermione felt Draco slow, and soon they were drifting back towards the ground. When they reached the earth, Draco hopped off his broomstick and helped Hermione down. Only then did he unclasp their hands.

  


Hermione's cheeks were flushed and her brown eyes sparkled with excitement. Small wisps of hair framed her face. In his heart, Draco realized that she was exquisitely beautiful. Even if he refused to let himself see it.

  


"That was _amazing!_" Hermione said suddenly, smiling up at him. "The scenery was gorgeous! There were horses and the mansion and the river, and then there was you, and. . ." realizing what she had said, Hermione cut off, bowing her head and biting her lip. Her cheeks went a lovely shade of crimson. Hoping beyond hope that he had not realized what she had meant, she added, "You're a great teacher, Draco. You really are."

  


There was silence after that, and Draco had heard quite clearly what she had said. He, however, refused to believe it. _There's no way she likes me,_ Draco thought positively. _The day my father works for Dumbledore is the day Hermione Granger likes me._ Similar thoughts flew through Hermione's head, She decided to wait for Draco to speak.

  


"Would you . . . would you like to come upstairs?" Draco asked slowly. Hermione regarded him with a keen eye, wondering exactly how he had meant that.

  


"I would like that," she said quietly. "I haven't seen your room."

  


For the first time, Draco smiled directly at her. A true smile. She felt like a deer caught in the headlights, but somehow managed to make her feet move beside him as they walked towards the mansion. Hermione had the oddest feeling that her heart was stilling soaring through the sky.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  


A few minutes later Draco and Hermione stepped into his room. The walls were forest green and darkened the whole mood of the room. On the far side was a huge window, thrown open to let the breeze in. A huge bed, draped in dark green silk took up the far corner of the room. She also noticed a large ebony dresser on the side of the room, but it wasn't the dresser itself that drew her attention. It was the small wooden box on the top of the dresser that had caught her eye. She idly wandered over to it and fingered the edge. Draco remembered his father doing the same thing a time ago, and frowned in confusion.

  


"A beautiful box," Hermione said, her voice sounding oddly mechanical. At the same time she knew that it wasn't beautiful; there was something odd about it, and although something itched in the back of her mind she could not place it.

  


"Yes," Draco agreed, still frowning in confusion. The box was plain and perfectly ordinary, but he suddenly felt as if they were being watched. He whirled around to face the doorway but of course it was empty. He turned back to Hermione, who had her fingers at the edge of the box.

  


"Don't open it," Draco said suddenly. "I don't like it." He strode over and picked up the box, quickly placing it in his closet and shutting the door. Hermione suddenly seemed to come back to smile, a smile creeping onto her face. "I like your room," she commented, "it looks like a princes' room." She laughed and sat on the edge of his bed.

  


"A week ago you would have scowled at that, but now you jut smile," Hermione commented lightly, observing his expression closely.

  


"A hell of a lot has happened in the past week," Draco said softly, sitting down next to her on his bed. He turned to look at her, his fair eyes meeting her dark ones. Hermione felt her mouth go dry, but carefully wet her lips.

  


"It's almost as if. . ." Hermione stared into his eyes, being drawn further into the deep blue irises. "Almost as if. . ." Hermione completely lost her train of thought and gave in to staring back at his deep blue eyes. As he leaned in closer, she parted her lips to meet his. When they were not an inch apart, someone pounded on Draco's door. Hermione jumped and would have screamed had not Draco clamped his hand over her mouth.

  


"Draco," came Narcissa's pure, undisturbed voice, "there are some people here to see you."

  


Hermione looked around desperately for a hiding spot, and her eyes fell on the large closet all the way across the room. Draco motioned for her to hide in there as the doorknob turned. When Hermione was only halfway across the room, the door opened.

  


"Pansy!" Draco exploded, his voice full of forced joy. Pansy's attention was focused solely on Draco and she didn't even notice the young woman sprinting behind her across the room.

  


Draco's face crumpled in horror as Crabbe and Goyle, who were trying to enter the room, collided with Hermione's petite figure. They both let out clumsy grunts, and Pansy turned around to see Hermione sprawled on the ground at her feet, and her dark eyes flashed.

  


((A.N. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle all in one!! What are they gonna say about Hermione?! Tell me what you think in a review, I need your opinion for the next chapter!))


	15. Another Likely Story

  
  
  


((Hello everyone! Ok here's the deal I'm going on vacation to Cancun for two weeks so I won't be able to type the story!! :( But I will be writing it! I can't believe it. . . 175 reviews!! Yay! I have some reviewers to reply to, because you guys had a lot of good questions. Amber721 . . . good point! Yes, Hermione does get shower and bathroom breaks, but I decided that I really didn't need to mention them. I mean, who wants to read about Hermione going to the bathroom anyway? Good observation though! And, Casey, you got me there. It was a mistake on my part . . . and Harry's Twin Sister. . . I believe that is the most random review that I've ever gotten! Twisted Silver Dagger thanks for giving me great and helpful reviews all the time! Well I hope you all enjoy chapter 15 . . . a little drama! Review when you're finished))

  


Disclaimer: JK owns everything. The plot; no.

  


Pansy let out a startled yelp, and scuttled back into Draco's arms. She stared at Hermione, wide eyed and unblinking as if afraid the girl would disappear at any moment. Crabbe and Goyle stared blankly for a few moments until recognition flooded onto their faces. 

  


"Draco!" Crabbe cried in horror, scuttling over to the Malfoy. "It's that mudblood you hate!" Crabbe pointed her out to Draco, and gave her a threatening look. Suddenly Goyle grabbed her arms and hauled her to her feet. "What are you doing in Draco's house?" Crabbe demanded, taking her other arm. Before Draco knew what was happening, they had backed her up against the wall. Goyle drew his hand back, preparing to hit her, while Crabbe held her down.

  


"Let go of her, you oaf-headed imbeciles!" Draco yelled, shaking himself free of Pansy. His eyes burning with anger, he strode over and shoved Crabbe and Goyle away with one push. Hermione gave him a fleeting look. He noted that not once in the confusion and turmoil had she cried out. Crabbe and Goyle looked at Draco confusedly, no doubt wondering why Draco hd been so rough with them; after all Hermione had no right to be there at all. 

  


After her initial shock, Pansy quickly recovered. Draco knew that Crabbe and Goyle would not be the trouble here; it was Pansy he'd have to face. He turned to look at her, wiping his face of all emotion.

  


Today she was wearing a short white skirt that showed off her smooth, dark legs. She wore black strapless shoes and a black tube top. Her long, straight hair fell down her shoulders, and her lips glistened crimson. Even with her eyes shining with a sudden coldness, Draco saw that Pansy was as beautiful as a red rose. At the same time she seemed stilted somehow, almost fake. 

  


"Draco."

  


It was a statement, a question, and an answer all at the same time, but Draco understood what she meant as clearly as if she had said it. 

  


"Huh?" Crabbe grunted suddenly, rubbing his arm where Draco had shoved him.

  


"Wha?" muttered Goyle, looking from Pansy to Hermione and back. This seemed to increase Pansy's suspicions. 

  


"Draco, what is going on here? What is this filthy. . ._bitch_ doing in your house? What is she doing in your _room?_" she said furiously. Her eyes flashed over to Hermione with such hate that the air between seemed to get hotter. 

  


Draco thought ferverently. He needed something cruel that would delight Pansy so much that she wouldn't realize how impossible it was. He certainly couldn't tell her the truth. His mind drew a blank.

  


"Pansy. . ." he started, saying her name sincerely, and beautifully. _It's the only way, _Draco thought suddenly, realizing what he was about to do. "The reason that this . . . _filth _. . . is here– well, it would be too upsetting to you to say aloud. It's upsetting to even me. And I would _never_ . ." he trailed off, catching her eyes in his and standing up. He took both of her small hands. " I would _never _want to upset a girl as beautiful as you." Then he leaned in to kiss her. Her mouth met his gladly, and he gave her a soft, deep kiss.

  


Hermione wanted to hurl something at them, break them apart, anything to stop them from what they were doing. Draco was the one who pulled away from the kiss. It felt odd, being the one to pull away. It was always the girl that stopped. Yet somehow the kiss didn't feel right. It felt sour in his mouth. 

  


"Draco," Pansy whispered, softly, sexily into his ear. He looked down at her calmly, without that smirk on his face. He felt Pansy go weak kneed. Slowly she pulled out of his arms, looking regretful. 

  


"I still need to know," Pansy said softly. "Come on, draco, I can handle it."

  


Draco stared at her blankly. He still had no idea what to say. He honestly could not think of an excuse for Hermione being there. "I . . . I can't say it, Pansy. It's too awful." he tried to look sad and troubled, but he dropped his eyes quickly.

  


"If you'll allow me to speak, Master," Hermione addressed Draco from across the room., "Then perhaps I could tell. . . Miss Parkinson . . . why I am here."

  


Draco looked at her coldly but gratefully. "Speak quickly, mudblood," he said.

  


Hermione started, " I was brought to this mansion as a . . ." she gulped visibly, "a gift for Lord Voldemort. Before he kills me, he plans to . . ." her voice cracked and she looked down, a single tear dripping off her face. Pansy's face showed barely concealed glee. 

  


"Is that so?" she asked venomously, staring Hermione down. "Why are you sad about this, Draco?" Draco looked up in surprise. He'd thought that even Pansy would have the heart to be sad about this. _What kind of sick person could be happy?_

  


"It is nothing, Pansy. I only feared that it would upset you," he said, trying to sound sincere. Pansy stared at him blankly before saying, "Thanks for your concern, Draco, but this still doesn't explain why she is in your room." Her eyes turned cold as Draco's mouth went dry. 

  


"I have to watch her while my father is gone. Even though she's a mudblood, she is clever and might get away if I don't watch her," he mumbled quickly.

  


Pansy smile, a satisfied smile. "Well, we certainly wouldn't want that. When Voldemort gets hold of her, she will get everything she deserves. Stand up, girl," Pansy said, a cruel smile falling across her face. Draco half reached out to stop her before catching himself. He had already stood up for Hermione once, and that had given too much away. Reluctantly Hermione stood up, hating Pansy with every fiber in her body. Pansy walked up to her, putting her face close.

  


"Are you afraid of Lord Voldemort, girl? Afraid of what he will do to you? Poor sweetheart, such a shame that someone of such high blood will meet their downfall quickly. Such a shame," Pansy said, each word getting colder. Suddenly Pansy reached back and slapped Hermione with all her might, sending her hurling across the floor. Crabbe and Goyle roared with laughter as she crashed into the wall, her head hitting first with a sickening crack. Pansy began shrieking with laughter. The laughter throbbed in Hermione's ears, and made her feel sick. After the laughter died down, she looked up. Draco looked about ready to wring Pansy's neck. As she turned around he smoothed his face and looked at Hermione. "You," he said, addressing her as if he'd never met her, "Stay there and be silent until I say."

  


Then he turned to Pansy quite conversationally, and said, "Why did you three come over?"

  


Pansy smile confidently as she purred, "I heard bout you becoming a Death Eater. The ceremony is only in four days! We came to congratulate you!"

  


Hermione's head snapped up. Neither Draco or Pansy so much as glanced at her. _Draco? A Death Eater? Four days?_ She thought in confusion. 

  


"We wanna be Death Eaters," Crabbe yelled, a stupid grin coming over his face. Draco felt quite sick, and knew that Hermione was listening intently. Before he could speak, Pansy said, "I can't believe it! Such an honor to enter the Inner Circle in your first year! And a year early! Do you know why they are excepting you so early?"

  


"I have no idea," Draco said uncertainly. Pansy walked over to his closet and threw it open

  


"We have to find you a good outfit! I want you to look perfect," she sighed dreamily. She pawed through his closet, throwing out random seeming ties, cloaks, and suits. While she was doing this, Draco asked Crabbe and Goyle how their summer had been. They talked for a while until Pans sighed in satisfaction. "Perfect," she said cooly. Draco turned to look at the outfit she had chosen. On his bed was skin tight forest green shirt with a black suit. The tie was silk and dark green also. Finally, a cloak lie on the far end of the bed. He did not remember owning the cloak. Pansy was smiling broadly at him "I had that cloak tailored especially for you," Pansy said quietly. "Try it on."

  


Draco moved to touch the cloak. It was of the finest material, and felt almost like silk under his fingers. He lifted it on, and went to the mirror. When he looked at himself, he found that he couldn't tell what color the cloak was at all. It was a mixture of midnight blue, forest green, and deepest black. In the dark it would easily disguise him from unwanted eyes. 

  


"Thank you," Draco mumbled, still enchanted. "It is perfect."

  


Pansy smile and moved to kiss him again, but he turned away quickly he looked out the window and practically yelped as he saw his father walking up the drive. Taking action immediately, Draco whirled.

  


"Pansy, you three need to leave. My father is here now. Do as I say! GO!"

  


Pansy's face paled n dislike for his father, but her eyes held confusion as to why he was so urgent. "I will see you at the initiation, Draco. Crabbe, Goyle, we will take the upstairs floo system. Come!" She beckoned to them and was out the door before he could say a word. 

  


He turned to Hermione, who was scrabbling up. "Quickly!" he said, taking her hand. "We will talk later. I promise." Hermione gave him a tight look, but follow as they headed downstairs. Draco had reached the room next to the living room, and had only one room to go to get to the dungeon entrance. Suddenly he heard the front door slam in the foyer.

  


"Narcissa!" Lucius roared suddenly. Draco shrank back as Narcissa whirled through the room. He heard Lucius stomp in briskly. 

  


"Yes?" Narcissa asked quietly. 

  


"Have you seen Draco?" he practically yelled. "I need to talk to the boy."

  


"He was up in his room last I saw him," Narcissa said hurriedly.

  


Draco's heart pounded. Why was Lucius looking for him? Why did he act so urgent? Silently he cursed, bringing himself back to the present. There was no way out. Lucius had to walk directly through this room to get to Draco's room, and the only way out was by going back up the stairs. Draco already heard Lucius enter the living room. Quickly he chose a dark corner, before realizing that it was almost directly in Lucius's path. He shrank with Hermione into the corner as far as he could, and felt her shaking against him. Suddenly e became aware that he was still wearing the cloak. He quickly slipped it round Hermione, and in the dark the cloak seemed to shift and change. 

  


Suddenly Lucius burst into the room. His face held its usual impassive calmness, and he came closer and closer to the corner. Draco's heart pounded wildly as he came within an inch off Hermione's face . . . and continued on. 

  


Draco stared with disbelief as he exited the room, heading still for Draco's room. He unfastened the cloak and examined it. In the dark he could barely see Hermione shrouded in it. It made her all but invisible. 

  


"Is that . . . an invisibility cloak?" Hermione asked, awe in her voice. Draco considered for a moment. 

  


"No, I don't think that it is. I think it was made by some other magic," he muttered softly.

  


"We should get back to the dungeons," Hermione said carefully. He noticed a coldness in her voice that hadn't been there before. She noticed his eyes grow softer.

  


"Yes, we should. My father will be back any second."

  


They began to make their way down to the dungeons, unseen.

  


((A.N. Why do you think Draco's father is looking for him? Tell me in your review!))


	16. Bound

  
  
  
  
  


(( A.N. Hi everybody! It's about time for this chapter, eh? Way past time, now that I think about it . . . Anyway, I would love to thank all my reviewers, and I am really surprised at how many reviews this story is getting. I hope this chapter clarifies more. Since the beginning, I've only had a few more chapters planned after this one, which means that the story is coming to a close soon. I hope you like this chapter, which is extremely evil, for all you evil-lovers. Read and enjoy!))

  
  


Disclaimer: J.K owns Harry Potter. Not me. You guys should know that by now.

  
  


Lemanus stalked down the dungeon corridor, his greasy hair hiding the smile that so cunningly snaked across his face. Lucius walked behind him, for the dungeon corridors wee only large enough for one man. He stopped at the cell door that had no lock. 

  


"Petrificus Ostium," Lucius muttered from behind him, with a flick of his wand. 

  


They entered quickly, and shut the door behind him with a snap. Hermione was chained invisibly to the wall, and stared back at them with cold eyes. Inside she was shaking with fear, but she would not let them see how afraid she was. She _could_ not let them see how afraid she was. 

  


Lemanus still smiled under the cover of his long hair. His pasty white skin seemed to stretch across his face as he said, "We have much to talk about, and you will listen without interruption, or I shall see to it that you listen without interruption." Lemanus took a threatening step forward, but Hermione did not move. Although she wanted to be as far away from this man as she could, she stayed still. Lucius smiling behind him was enough to thoroughly chill her bones. Despite herself, Hermione wished more than anything for Draco to appear.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  


Despite himself, Draco wished Hermione was with him at the moment. He could not explain why as he sat on his bed. _Maybe I should apologize,_ Draco thought, but immediately discarded that idea. "Malfoy's never apologize," he muttered under his breath. _Maybe it's time to change the Malfoy way,_ a voice answered back in his head. He dropped that chain of thought completely and went back to thinking about Hermione. _What's my problem? I miss her and I saw her yesterday. Father would kill me if he knew I was growing a soft side, _Draco thought savagely. Draco still wondered about apologizing to her. He lay on his side, staring up at the ceiling. Little did he know that each second he wasted was costing Hermione dearly.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  


"I suppose I shall start at the beginning, though I find it a dreadful nuisance to explain this to someone so slow-witted as a mudblood," Lucius spat contemptuously.

  


"This mansion is old, ages old. It dates back to the time a Salazar Slytherin, the greatest wizard of that time. In fact, it was he who put an ancient spell on this mansion. The magic he used to do it has been long lost since, but we do remember this. 'No promise made shall go unbroken, if words within these walls are spoken. No word of the True Blood shall go unbidden, to this you are bound, and forever hidden.' Do you know what that means, girl? The night that you told me you would do anything I commanded, you also bound yourself to me. Don't you see? 'No word of the true blood shall go unbidden.' The True Blood means the blood of the Malfoy family. You are bound to me, and to Draco."

  


Lucius's words seemed to echo in Hermione's head. "_To this you are bound."_ She looked up at him in disbelief.

  


"No!" she cried out of desperation. "It isn't true! It cannot be true! It _isn't _true!"

  


Even as the words left her mouth, she realized that everything Lucius had said could be nothing but true. 

  


Lemanus responded by promptly smacking her across the face, and she screamed. 

  


"I told you to listen without interruption. Lucius is not finished."

  


Lucius continued, "The moment that you do not do as I command, I shall know without fail, wherever I am and wherever you are. This is another part of the spell. Shall I demonstrate?" Lucius looked positively malicious. Hermione kept her head down.

  


"Very well," he said slowly, as if pleased. "You will not pull away from Lemanus when he touches your cheek. _To this you are bound._"

  


Immediately Hermione felt something inside of her change. It was like a brick falling into place; it felt heavy. Lemanus, looking delighted at the opportunity, moved forward to touch her cheek. As his long fingernail scraped across her face, the coldness of it pierced her veins. Suddenly she could not bare it, and pulled away.

  


All at once there was a storm in her body. Every muscle felt as if it was freezing. Suddenly it was so cold that she was burning. Her skin was on fire, and she screamed. Suddenly she couldn't breathe, and the burning increased. Her second scream was loud enough to pierce the stone walls. All at once the burning stopped, but the echo of her scream lingered. 

  


She heard Lucius's voice, a bit distorted for the ringing in her ears, "Quite like the Crutacius Curse, or so I've heard. And that was only for a small command disobeyed. The pain doubles and triples with the importance of the command, I hear." Hermione only glared at him, her eyes as hot as coals. 

  


"You shall _never_ disobey," Lucius said, his voice droning in her ears. Suddenly she felt nauseous, and made a gagging sound. Lucius merely laughed.

  


"We have wonderful plans for you," Lemanus said, his voice sinister. "_Wonderful_ plans."

  
  


_** ** ** ** **_

  


"That's it!" Draco said, jumping up off his bed. "I'm being stupid. We both are! I don't care if I screw up the damn Malfoy tradition."

  


He stalked out of his room. _On second thought, I'll make her apologize,_ he thought uncertainly. _That's what I'll do._ He made his way down to the dungeons quickly, deciding to make a bold entrance.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

  


Lucius's eyes glinted dangerously as he approached Hermione. He firmly placed his hands on her hips, smirking in a most Draco-like fashion. 

  


"You didn't think I would let my son have you all to himself, did you?"

  


As Hermione realized Lucius's intentions, and the power that he had over her, she jumped back as if electrified. Lucius only smiled, like a cat looking at a trapped mouse. Fear pulsed through Hermione, her heartbeat rising as he backed her into the wall.

  


"The door crashed open, and Draco stalked through. "Hermione Granger . . . " he started, before freezing at the scene before him. Lemanus stood in the corner, looking characteristically sinister, and Hermione was backed into the wall, Lucius's hands on her hips.

  


"Father?" Draco said, sounding truly surprised for the first time Hermione had ever seen. Warmth rushed through her, despite Lucius standing there in front of her. Everything would be okay. For once, everything would be okay. Draco's expression turned from confusion to anger. For a dangerous moment, he felt like hitting his father. By the time Lucius had turned around, however, Draco's face was expressionless. 

  


"What are you doing?" Draco said quite calmly, his eyes boring into his fathers. 

  
  


"I was talking to Miss Granger," Lucius said carefully, watching draco's expression change at her title. "I was looking for you so I could tell you first, but you were nowhere to be found. Granger is going to become a Death Eater, Draco."

  


Draco momentarily forgot what his father had been doing in the shock of the last sentence. He couldn't manage to utter a word. Hermione being a Death Eater was uncomprehensible.

  


"Do you remember when I told you about Salazar Slytherin doing magic on this manor, Draco?" Lucius said swiftly, obviously trying to stall him. Lucius then launched into an explanation of the magic, the True Blood, the manor, and Hermione. Draco could scarcely keep his mouth from hanging open by the end. 

  


"So . . . Granger has to do whatever you say, just because she told you she would the other night?"

  


"Precisely, Draco. Isn't it wonderful?"

  


"It's brilliant. But can you physically hurt her if she refuses to do what you say?"

  


Lucius gave him a scrutinizing look "That is what I said, wasn't it?"

  


"Of course," Draco said absently, his head reeling," but what about Lord Voldemort? We won't approve of a mudblood becoming a Death Eater!"

  


"Oh, but he will, once he finds that she will be our answer to killing Harry Potter."

  


Hermione's head snapped up, and she gasped. "I will not!" she said furiously. "You can't make me!"

  


Lemanus spoke up. "We never said anything about you doing the killing, girl. That will be Draco's job."

  


Draco looked up, meeting Lemanus's fish-like eyes. He suddenly looked away, not able to take the freezing glare. Something tickled at the back of his mind.

  


"We said you were going to be a spy, did we not?" Lemanus said. "Unfortunately, we are not to tell you anymore until the initiation, which is the day after tomorrow."

  


"For now, we must go. Lucius, I will talk with you in private," Lemanus said, taking a leave. Lucius, to Draco's utter surprise, inclined his head to Hermione before leaving.

  


_It's too much, _Draco thought angrily. Hermione did not look at him. She would not look at him, and pain stabbed at his heart. Without hesitation, he sat down next to her. _It's time to break the Malfoy family tradition, _he thought finally.

  


"I'm sorry, Hermione."

  


She looked up at him in surprise, and saw in his eyes what she could not have in the words. He meant it. That simple statement from him meant everything; he was sorry for Pansy, and his father, for her, for him, and he was sorry that she had to be here.

  


Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry too, Draco." He looked at her face and saw why she cried; she cried for what Lucius had almost done to her, for Narcissa, for Draco becoming a Death Eater, and for being there. Suddenly Draco didn't want her to cry. More than anything in the world, he wanted her to smile. 

  


He took her head in his arms, and she leaned against his chest. 

  


"Don't cry," he pleaded. "It's okay."

  


"No, it's not," she said sadly.

  


Draco leaned his head against the wall and stroked her hair. He knew she was right, and that it would probably never be okay. 

  


"It will be okay," Draco whispered into her hair. "I'll make it okay. I promise."

  
  


(A.N. Random question: If you had to guess, how old would you say I am?) 


	17. The REAL Chapter 17

  
  


((. A.N.: Hi, guys! *everyone gasps* I know, it's been at least a millennium since I last got a chapter up, and there's no excuse so I wont even try to make one. My advice for you; go back and review the last chapter before reading this one. You'll probably have no idea what's going on otherwise. ;D More important matters . . . I have a couple of chapters written, but I'm just posting this one for now. Sorry about the excessive amount of fluff in the chapters to come, but I just had to get that in there before everything takes a turn for the worse. So I've babbled long enough, enjoy and review!))

Disclaimer: Me not own anything. Do not sue. 

  


Hermione woke up with a sick feeling in her stomach. It took her a moment to realize why. _It's the day before the initiation, _she thought with a shock. _And just last night Lucius told me about it. _She almost laughed at the thought of becoming a Death Eater. She almost cried too. Suddenly she wondered how on earth Lucius had convinced Voldemort to allow a muggle-born into his circle of followers. _I suppose Lucius told him all about the wretched curse, and his plan for killing Harry, too! Voldemort would do anything to kill Harry, _she thought bitterly. 

Her stomach plummeted further, if possible, when she heard whispered words outside of her cell. The vault opened, and Draco stepped in, shutting the door quietly behind him. He turned to her, and she smiled in relief. 

"Feeling better?" he said, a smile touching his lips. She couldn't help but smile back. 

"Under the circumstances, I suppose I am," she laughed. Draco stalked over in the graceful way he had and sat down in front of her. He had a suspicion that it made her uncomfortable when he was standing and she was sitting.

"Today's Friday. Father's at the ministry for some last minute work," draco said casually. He didn't miss the sharp sense of relief in her eyes as he spoke. Suddenly a grin spread over his face. 

"Do you realize that I have never asked you on a formal date?" he said, the grin never leaving his face.

"A formal date? What do we need formal dates for?" Hermione inquired with a raised eyebrow. 

"That's just it, don't you see? Guys and girls never go on formal dates anymore, and it's quite a shame. Formal dates are half the fun, you know." Draco smiled apprehensively. 

Hermione sighed, pretending to be exasperated, although Draco could tell she was quite pleased. "Oh . . . all right, then, if you insist on it . . ." she paused before saying, "go on, 'Master Malfoy.'"

Draco straightened his back and held his head high, reminding Hermione of a peacock. In his most formal tone he proceeded, "Miss Granger, would it so please you as to make my acquaintance for a horseback ride in the woods and a luncheon afterwards?" He held an arm out to her. 

"I would be ever so delighted, Master Malfoy, to join you for luncheon and a ride in the woods, if it pleases you," Hermione replied, with every bit as much formality as him. She took his arm and they stood up. He made a flourishing bow to her and she laughed, wondering how she ever could've hated the boy in front of her. 

Draco came out of his bow and grinned. "See? We're having more fun already!"

_** ** ** ** **_

Feeling the wind on her face was better than anything in the world. Hermione and Draco were walking to the stables, after donning riding boots and cloaks (Hermione had borrowed Narcissa's) and Hermione could not have felt better.

"I think I'd better inform you that I'm not a very good rider. I've only done it once or twice," Hermione said lightly. 

Draco's eyes sparkled when he said, "Not a good rider, are you? With a couple of lessons you'll be a pro." She smiled at the confidence he had in her. 

When they reached the stables, Draco immediately went to the third stall on the right and opened it cautiously. Hermione followed him inside. 

Draco walked over to a purely black mare, her gorgeous brown eyes and long hair taking Hermione aback. The horse was tall and strongly built, and even Hermione could tell that it was of the finest breed.

"Ebony, my horse," Draco said, glancing quickly at Hermione. He stroked her jowl, and began running a brush through her sleek fur. Hermione saw such a look of adoration in Draco's eyes when he looked at the mare that she realized he truly did care about all the things he pretended not to. In fact, he pretended not to care so hard that eventually he even convinced himself that he didn't care. 

Draco turned to her, subconsciously reaching into his pocket to feed Ebony a sugar cube. Draco looked at Hermione for a moment, as if sizing her up, before saying, "I know the perfect horse for you."

Quickly he walked her over to the next stall and opened the door, allowing her in before him. Once inside, she saw almost the exact opposite of Draco's Ebony. A creamy white mare with twinkling blue eyes looked back at her. The horse had an air of such grace and tranquility that Hermione had never seen its like, human or animal. 

"She's so beautiful," Hermione breathed, ecstatic as Draco allowed her to stroke the horse. 

"Snow. She is such a fine horse that even my father rides her when he thinks no one is looking," Draco said with a wry smile. 

"You want me to ride her?" Hermione asked breathlessly, looking at Draco with large eyes. He nodded. 

"I don't know if I can, Draco."

"Anybody can ride Snow. Anybody who has a head and two feet. She's the most gentle horse in the world."

Hermione nodded while looking at him quizzically. "I never knew you loved horses so much," she said after a moment. 

Draco's eyes softened. "More than almost anything," he said carefully, giving her a mysterious smile. "Let me help you saddle Snow up."

Once the horses were outside and saddled, Hermione began feeling a bit more confident in her horsemanship. Draco showed her how to mount, and to his delight she did that perfectly. Draco mounted his own horse, and after a few unsteady fumbles on Hermione's part, they managed to take off down the trail at a slow trot.

"May I inquire as to where we're going?" Hermione asked as she listened to the gentle clippity-clop of the horses heels on the dirt path. 

"I'd like to say I knew," Draco said uncharacteristically. "Well, where do you want to go?"

Hermione considered this for a moment, absently combing through her horse's hair. Draco had never seen someone so easily elegant. 

"Venice," she replied suddenly, looking up. "I want to go to Venice."

Draco laughed at her indignant tone.

"....Venice, where we can ride on gondolas through wide canals, and watch the city light up at night . . . " Hermione met his eyes, her face sparkling with pleasure. 

"Then Venice is it," he announced regally, as if Venice was, indeed, their destination.

Suddenly an idea bloomed in Hermione's mind.

"I'll race you there!" she said suddenly, glancing over at his shocked face.

"You've been on a horse for five minutes and you already want race, much less _beat_ me?" Draco asked, that typical Malfoy sarcasm dripping in his voice. 

"Why, yes," Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips. "I think I could beat you!"

"Not gonna happen," Draco snorted.

"At least give me a chance! Besides, I know how to gallop a horse. I told you, I've done this before," she said. Draco glanced over at her and saw the determination in her hazel-brown eyes.

"I won't go easy on you, you know," Draco lied. Hermione's face lit up. 

"But you _will_ race me! All right then, what are we waiting for? Ready, set, GO!" 

Hermione took off on her horse before Draco knew what was happening. He reared his horse after her with a yell. Draco was immediately surprised at how well she handled her horse, with perfect precision and control. _I won't have to go easy on her for Hermione to win this race, _Draco thought with amusement. Ebony was naturally faster than Snow, however, and he was gaining on her. 

Suddenly they broke out of the forest and into a clearing, still galloping at full speed. Draco was nearly even with Hermione as the wind whipped his hair back and the sun reached his eyes. Putting on a final burst of speed, he pulled ahead of her with a joyful shout. 

Draco looked back, suddenly, his horse still in full gallop. Hermione's eyes met his, and for just a moment the world stopped. 

Sound, speed, time.

It was all irrelevant to him for a moment. A feeling rushed through him so powerful that he wondered if he had been hit in the chest. The feeling was new to him, and it seemed unreal. Hermione knew the feeling, but for her it was also unreal. The world unfroze.

THWAP.

Draco flew off his horse with an immense amount of force. Hermione screamed as she watched his body crumple to the ground. In one moment she'd reared her horse from a dead gallop to a halt. All she could think was that there was only one outcome to hitting a tree branch on a galloping horse. 

Death. 

((So . . . what do you guys think? What's gonna happen? Review!))


	18. Like His Father Before Him

  
  


((A.N. Okay, I lied. Here's another chapter. I know I told you I wasn't gonna post another one for a while, but I just couldn't leave you guys in suspense. The last chapter seemed a bit unfinished to me. There are a lot of things you guys have been waiting for in this chapter, but I'll give no more away! Read for yourself and enjoy!))

Diclaimer: Osama wants world peace, Johnny Depp is NOT hot, Bush is a Democrat, Orlando Bloom loves me, pop ups are NOT annoying, the world is flat, girls have no interest whatsoever in guys, Michael Jackson is perfectly normal, Draco loves muggles, and I own Harry Potter. Get it yet? 

Hermione got off of her horse clumsily and began running toward Draco's motionless figure. 

"Draco? Draco!" she cried, falling down next to him. She turned him over and realized that he had indeed hit a tree branch. 

_This is my fault,_ she though suddenly. _I wanted to race, and if he hadn't been looking back at me, he would have seen it coming. _ Tears began streaming down her face. He was obviously unconscious, but she felt for a pulse and found one. She examined his head tenderly.

"Draco!" she said, smoothing his hair back gently. He didn't stir. _What if he never wakes up? _Hermione thought, her heart pounding. She had heard of sleeping concussions before, in which the victim, after being hit on the head forcefully, fell unconscious and eventually stopped breathing. 

"Draco, wake up!" She shook his shoulders with increasing violence. She hit him across the face to no outcome.

"Draco Malfoy, wake up this instant! You numb headed, goat brained, fool of a boy! If you don't wake up, I'll– I'll–" 

Suddenly Hermione did the only thing she could think of. She leaned down and drew him up into a passionate kiss. She was surprised when his lips reacted after a few moments. She held the kiss a little longer and then drew away, gasping for breath. Draco opened his eyes, chest heaving from lack of air. 

He stared at her for a few moments before realization dawned on his face.

"How did I– what did you– what . . . ?" Draco stuttered, for once in his life at a loss for words. 

"You hit a tree branch," Hermione said, as if that explained everything. She couldn't help but laugh in relief. _I should've known, _she thought ruefully. _Fool of a boy will come back from the brink of death if he thinks he's missing out on some action. _She grinned foolishly. 

Draco laughed softly. "Guess it took a hell of a lot more to beat you than I thought."

He felt his chest carefully. "The tree branch hit me in the chest, I think. It just knocked the wind out of me."

Hermione sighed in relief. Suddenly her face turned serious. "You scared me so much," she whispered, searching his eyes for a response. Draco sat up shakily, looking around. In their gallop they had crossed the meadow and were currently on the opposite edge. 

"I must not have noticed we'd reached the other side," he muttered, dazed. "I was too busy staring at . . . At you." His cheeks colored in a boyish fashion and he looked away quickly.

Hermione smiled at his antics before looking around.

"Where are the horses?" she asked suddenly. She turned to see Snow in the same spot she had dismounted. 

"Ebony was probably frightened when I flew off. She most likely went back to the stables. She knows how to get there," draco said, still out of breath. He too looked around. 

"Well, here's as good a place as any to have a rest and some lunch," he stated after a few moments. 

"You're _hungry . . . _ after that?"

"Starving," he said, grinning at her shocked look. 

Hermione helped him up and they made their way back to Snow, where she untied a picnic basket from the horses saddle. 

The sunlight in the meadow seemed to make even the air around them glisten with fresh beauty. A slight breeze ruffled the waves of the summer green grass, and the rest of the world was far away to Hermione is this place. 

They spread a blanket out near the center of the meadow, Draco watching Hermione's dreamy expression carefully. _Did she really kiss me back there, or was I dreaming?_ He wondered lightly. _I was dreaming,_ he concluded bluntly. 

They sat down and began taking items out of the picnic basket: potato salad, crumpets, triangle sandwiches, and cherry cobbler. They conversed about nothing for the majority of the meal, until Hermione brought up the inevitable. 

"Draco," she whispered, her expression becoming serious. " . . .I'm scared." There was no need for Draco to inquire as to what she feared. The Death Eater initiation was on both of their minds.

"Hermione, you know I won't let them hurt you," he said, taking her face gently in his hands. Despite his soft manner, there was a fierceness in his eyes that rivale d even the intensity of fire.

She looked away, casting her eyes down at the checkered picnic blanket. "It was just something your mother said once. I asked her why she'd married Lucius, and she replied, 'he was perfect, and we were in love. When he got the Dark Mark, though, something in him changed. He became as evil and as corrupt as his father before him.'"

She stopped abruptly and looking up at him, near tears. Suddenly he realized that it was not herself she feared most for. She did not fear Lucius, she did not fear lord Voldemort himself as much as she feared that he would become exactly like them. _She fears she will lose me_, Draco realized. 

"Oh, Hermione," Draco whispered, drawing her closely to him. She clutched him as if he was the only thing holding her up. 

"I will _never _be like him. Don't worry about that anymore. My father . . ." he trailed off, as he had so many times before. He could not think of a word bad enough to use on his father. 

"I hate this curse," Hermione whispered into his hair. "He could say anything . . . _anything_ . . . and I would have no choice but to obey."

"There is one rule of magic you are forgetting, Hermione," Draco said indignantly. She couldn't help but smile. "For every curse there is a counter curse."

Hermione pulled away and looked up at him, her eyes full of hope. "With a curse as ancient as this one, though, the counter curse must be very difficult to perform. Near impossible, I should think," she said quietly. 

"Have you ever run into a spell that is too hard for you to perform, Hermione Granger?" Draco inquired skeptically. 

Hermione laughed lightly, wiping her tears away. "I suppose not," she said after a few moments. 

"There is one more thing you are forgetting about this whole curse," Draco continued, a grin spreading over his face. 

"And what would that be?"

He took her hand before saying, "You are bound to me too."

Hermione looked up at him, a smile sneaking across her features. "Are you sure?"

"Why don't we find out?" Draco asked mischievously.

"Okay," replied Hermione, crossing her arms. "Give me a command."

Draco stroked his chin for a moment, and their eyes locked. 

"I want you to kiss me. _To this you are bound!"_ Draco said before she could protest. 

"Draco!" Hermione said indignantly, although from the sparkle in her eye he could tell that she was pleased. "How dare you! I refuse to be ordered to kiss you!"

Draco just laughed before saying. "Alright, then. May I have the _privilege_ of kissing you?" Hermione's eyes narrowed as she noted the sarcasm in his voice.

"If you insist," she said finally, her eyes meeting his.

Draco moved his face closer. "I do insist," he whispered, his lips touching hers.

At first the kiss was soft and sweet, raindrops cascading off of a flower petal. With time it deepened, wind brushing across a crimson rose. 

Hermione felt in that kiss, a change. She could not tell whether the change had occurred in her or Draco, but in that moment she knew that all animosity between them had vanished. Not that Draco would change from the arrogant git he always was, nor Hermione from the studious bookworm her friends knew her as. Simply that she felt a feeling for him unrivaled by anything or anyone, and he for her. 

They parted softly, each wondering if the other had noticed the change. They were silent for a few moments, content with the quiet sheltering them.

Indeed, it seemed that this opulent silence was the only thing sheltering them from the storm to come.

((A.N. Next chapter, the initiation! *dun dun dun* Tell me what you thought of this chapter by reviewing!))


	19. Always Watching

  


((A.N. Here it is, the chapter that I believe to be the beginning of the end. This is my first fanfic ever; my baby! It's so hard to end, but I know that I have to for obvious reasons. Exactly 331 reviews as of this moment!! You guys have outdone yourselves, really! I never, in a million years, expected to get this many reviews. I'm only expecting to post two or three chapters after this one, most of which are already written. Read and Review.))

Disclaimer..... Why bother?

"Draco." 

A cold, unyielding voice woke the youngest Malfoy from his sleep. Draco opened his eyes to see Lemanus and Lucius standing over him.

"It is time," Lucius said, his tone as eager as his expression. Draco's stomach plummeted as he remembered what he was to become by the day's end. A Death Eater, along with a girl too innocent to be among the likes of them. A girl that he cared about dearly, much as he would never admit it. 

Lucius was dressed in simple black robes, and as always he had his silver walking stick. He opened Draco's curtains and allowed the morning light to stream in. 

"Draco," Lucius said simply, putting his arms behind his back and pacing across the room. "I must admit that this day will make the proudest father in the wizarding world."

For a moment Draco saw something in his father that perhaps resembled love for his son.

"It will also make me more prestigious than any wizard in the world save Lord Voldemort himself. Imagine, Draco, the power that I will have once you become a Death Eater."

Draco went so cold that he felt as if he was burning. Any remote amount of love he had possessed for his father vanished in that instant. 

"I am happy, father, that you will gain so much from my becoming a Death Eater," Draco said tightly, for the lump forming in his throat. 

"I know you are," Lucius murmured curtly, as if his happiness meant nothing. 

"That wench of a girl," he continued casually, "we will see to it that she learns her lesson once and for all after the initiation?" Lucius raised an eyebrow suggestively. 

The burning in Draco's chest increased painfully. He found his hand reaching for the dresser where his wand lay, and clenched it to his side. Barely able to form the words for the hate in his heart, Draco replied, "I will see to it that she learns her lesson."

"No," came an icy voice to his side. Draco realized that he had completely forgotten Lemanus was in the room. 

"I believe that it would be more fitting for _me_ to see that she has learned her 'lesson.' After all, Draco will be engaged in all the post ceremony pomp," Lemanus said, addressing Lucius. 

Lucius stopped his pacing for a moment and said, "You are quite right, my friend. I believe that it would be more fitting for you to see to the girl. I know how much you have desired it." The last part was almost too quiet for Draco to hear.

Lemanus's smile made Draco want to be sick. 

_** ** ** ** **_

Stepping into the drearily familiar cell, Draco closed the door quietly behind him and turned to Hermione. He found her sleeping, and he noted that usually she was startled awake when he opened the door. _She must be exhausted,_ he though with a sigh. 

She looked angelic sleeping, as if all the pain and worry was gone from her face. He crossed the room and quietly sat down next to her. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist, slowly easing her onto his lap. She slept for a few more seconds before her eyes fluttered open, innocent amber globes gazing up at him. He smiled despite himself and smoothed her hair back with both hands.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, his expression soft as she had ever seen. 

She smiled with her eyes and answered, "Now I am."

Draco had decided to see her one last time before the initiation, before their lives were torn apart. He had planned to tell her about what Lemanus and Lucius had said to him, but now, looking into Hermione's innocent sparking eyes, he knew that he did not have the heart. Or rather, he had the heart not to.

She reached a hand up to caress his face, wondering what he was thinking. "I'm surprised you could get away," Hermione murmured. "I'd expect they would want you up there all day, for preparations."

"It was daunting task, but Lucius is really too caught up in his own glory to notice if I am gone for a few minutes.

"Lucius, huh?" Hermione questioned. "He's your father."

"I'm disowning him," Draco said quietly, his eyes unfocusing for a moment. Hermione laughed, although the blank look in his eyes scared her. 

"You can't disown him! The father disowns the son, not the other way around!" Hermione said in her know-it-all fashion.

"I wish I could, at least," Draco muttered, snapping out of whatever daze he was in.

There was silence for a moment before Draco cleared his throat. 

"Hermione," he said bracingly, carefully leaning his forehead against hers. "I can't do this."

"Can't do what?" Hermione asked, her eyes slowly meeting his. 

Draco raked his hands through his hair, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment.

"I just can't . . . put you into danger like this. I can't let you walk into this trap. We have to get you out of here!" Draco's voice was spiked with heavy emotion. 

Hermione put her fists on her hips. "Think about this practically. As of right now, I cannot escape. Even if I did run away physically, there's still the curse, and I can _never_ escape from that, no matter where I am. Lucius would track me down eventually and you know he wouldn't take it lightly what I did. Helping me escape would put you into danger also. I can take care of myself," she said, her face as stubborn as ever. 

Draco looked into her determined eyes. "I know you can take care of yourself, Hermione. You're a strong person . . . but Lucius and Lemanus, they aren't like anything you've been against before. They don't see reason or pain. Their eyes are coated by greed." _And by lust,_ Draco thought, his stomach turning over. 

There was an abrupt knock at the door.

"Draco," Hermione whispered, clutching his forearms in fear. 

Impulsively Draco pressed his lips to hers, a desperate last kiss. He stood up and gave her hands a final squeeze. His eyes conveyed the message that his lips would not form; _I love you._

Blanking his face of all emotion, Draco strode to the door and pulled it open. A wave of relief hit him when he saw his mother standing in the hall, her pale and her hands clasped tightly together. 

"Lucius has commanded me to help Hermione dress for the ceremony," Narcissa said softly, a hint of something else in her voice. She looked on the verge of saying more, but closed her mouth tightly.

"I'd best be getting dressed myself," Draco said with a curt nod. For some reason he could not meet her eyes. _It's because she hates me becoming a Death Eater more than anything in the world,_ Draco thought suddenly. _And I hate myself for how I've treated her all these years._

He took off down the hall before his emotions could get the better of him. In truth, they already had. _I'm sorry, mum, _he thought finally, wishing that she could hear his words. _I'm sorry._

_** ** ** ** **_

"Hermione?" a timid voice came from outside the door. Hermione recognized it immediately as Narcissa's. 

"Oh, Narcissa, it's you! Come in!" Hermione said, gasping with relief. 

Narcissa whisked into the room, closing the door behind her swiftly. Hermione noticed that her face was paler than usual, her lips drawn more tightly.

"You don't look well, Narcissa," Hermione observed, shaken by the woman's lifeless appearance. 

Narcissa shook her head, clearly dismissing the subject. "I came to help you prepare for the ceremony," she muttered, as if trying to ignore Hermione's previous statement.

"What do you mean?" Hermione inquired, trying to catch the woman's eyes.

"Well, Lucius . . ." she wrung her hand together as she spoke, " . . . he wants you to be presentable for Lord Voldemort."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't realized that Lord Voldemort would be present. _Of course he will, you fool,_ she realized as she thought it through.

"We will go to my rooms and see if there is a dress suitable for you to wear, heaven knows I have so many of them." Narcissa put her hands on her hips and for a moment reminded Hermione of her own mother. 

Hermione smiled warmly in reply, and Narcissa undid her chains. They slipped into the dungeon corridor without a sound. 

_** ** ** ** **_

His head a whirlwind of thought, Draco strode gratefully into his own room. With no light on, the half moon cast an eerie light around the chamber, illuminating things that should have stayed hidden and hiding things that should have been seen. Draco paused for a moment before turning on the light. _Something is wrong, _a small voice in his head told him. _Most likely that I'm about to become one of the most murderous, conniving, evil things a person can become, _Draco thought as he flung open his wardrobe. It yawned at him like an eerie chasm of darkness, threatening to engulf him in it's midst. _Stop it!_ he thought angrily. _You're being childish! _He picked out the suit that Pansy had wanted him to wear, and, after fingering it thoughtfully, the cloak she had gotten for him.

He heard a sharp click behind him and started, dropping the cloak. He turned around to see Lemanus leaning against his tightly closed door. 

"Little jumpy tonight, are we?" Lemanus asked wickedly. "I can see why."

"You could have . . . knocked or something," Draco said after a few moments. He had the growing suspicion that Lemanus had been in the room before him, lurking in a corner. For some reason his heart would not slow it's incessant pounding. 

_** ** ** ** **_

"Here we are," Narcissa said carefully, opening the door for Hermione. She stepped into Narcissa's room and found it to be more pleasant than the rest of the Malfoy Manor she had seen. Deep mahogany dressers lined the lavender walls, and her bed was royal satin purple. A huge closet occupied the other side of the room. Closing the door, Narcissa smiled at Hermione. "Let's see if we can find something suitable for you to wear."

Hermione was surprised to see that the sky had already darkened, and her stomach tightened. _Less than an hour, _she thought, fear increasing the pulsing of her heart. 

Narcissa began rifling through her closet, pausing at various dresses. "Ah," she said finally, pulling out an evening gown. "This one is perfect."

Hermione barely glanced at the dress. _Where are you, Draco?_

_** ** ** ** **_

"You have been hiding much," Lemanus whispered, taking a step forward. His eyes glinted with a scarcely contained triumph. Draco shook his head slowly, afraid of what Lemanus would say next.

"Do not pretend anymore, boy, for you have been doing do long enough. I have tried to convince your father that you are not to be trusted, but he does not see the same corruption in you that I do. The same _weakness,_"

"Lemanus, I have never given you reason not to trust me," Draco said carefully, as if he did not understand why he was being accused. 

Lemanus was silent for a few moments. 

Suddenly he began to chuckle, the sound growing louder and louder in Draco's ears. Lemanus spoke like a cobra waiting to strike. "Do you think that I cannot see it in your eyes? In your face when you look at her? In your _heart?_ Your eyes tell me that you have never laid a hand on the girl and that you never will. Your face tells me of the great struggle you endure every time you see her. Your heart tells me that you _love_ her."

The words penetrated Draco like poison, each one weakening him to the point of no return. 

"I can see with other eyes than these, you know," Lemanus continued softly. "Have you heard of Legilemency, Draco?"

Draco's worst fears were suddenly confirmed. He wondered why it hadn't all added up in the first place; why he could never seem to meet Lemanus's eyes, why Lemanus had become suddenly suspicious of him, even why Lemanus had taken such an interest in Hermione. Draco's silence was enough of an answer. 

"Then you will see why," Lemanus continued, pulling out his wand, "that it is my duty to exterminate you before you cause any more . . . damage."

"To what purpose, and point?" Draco asked swiftly. If only he had enough time to reach his own wand . . . "If you kill me, you kill Lucius' son and only heir. The wrath of Lord Voldemort will come down upon you. You harbor no proof that I have anything to do with that Granger girl!"

"I could not kill you, even if I wanted," Lemanus spat, lowering his wand. His hands were shaking with barely controlled rage.

Draco's mind went blank. He had been so ready to pull out his own wand that Draco found himself quite disappointed. 

"Unfortunately you have a key role in our next mission," Lemanus said acidly, taking another step forward. "And in your eyes I do not see total failure. There is still loyalty to Voldemort is your heart, although it dwindles by the day. I believe that under the right circumstances, it can be rekindled."

Suddenly Lemanus lunged for Draco, shoving him against the wardrobe and grabbing his neck tightly. Draco made a choking noise and attempted to push Lemanus away. The older man was stronger than he had imagined.

"_No more_ of this Granger girl I will break her myself after the ceremony and you will not stop me. She will be sent away from the manor tomorrow, sent home. That is, after Lucius gives her a proper set of commands to ensure her loyalty."

Lemanus tightened his grip, and Draco found that he was out of air.

"Know that I am watching you, Draco. Always watching." Lemanus released him, and Draco slumped to the ground, choking in air. He heard Lemanus cross the room. He heard the door open and click shut behind him. Draco was left alone in the murky silence of his chamber.

_Always watching, _came a soft voice in his ear.

  


_** ** ** ** **_

"There," Narcissa said as she finished painting Hermione's lips. "You look beautiful." The older woman noticed the small frown that formed on Hermione's face as she said this

_I don't want to look beautiful,_ Hermione thought desperately, her eyes hardening. She brought a hand up to her face before she realized that it was shaking uncontrollably. Narcissa noticed and took Hermione's shaking hand in her own.

"You love him, don't you?" Narcissa asked suddenly, afraid of the answer. Hermione brought her amber eyes to meet Narcissa's. 

"I don't know," she whispered into the dim light. "I honestly don't know."

Narcissa smiled knowingly, for the look in Hermione's eyes had told her the truth. "You know that you have a forbidden love when you can think of a million reasons not to love someone, but there are too many reasons to count why you do."

Hermione briefly wondered if Narcissa could read minds.

"He will not turn out like Lucius, you know," Hermione said, her voice gaining strength as she continued. "Have faith in him, Narcissa. I know that he will be different because though it has taken him a lifetime to believe the evil things his father teaches him, it has only taken him a few weeks to break those bonds."

A new hope enveloped Narcissa as she realized the truth in Hermione's words. 

The clock chimed as it struck the hour. A deathly chime, in Hermione's ears.

"It's time, isn't it?" she whispered softly.

_** ** ** ** **_

The clock chimed as it struck the hour. Draco paused midway through pulling on Pansy's cloak. _The time has finally come, _he thought, his mind numb. The door knob turned before he could reach it.

_** ** ** ** **_

The clock chimed as it struck the hour. Lucius kneeled on the cold granite floor, the fire behind him roaring in his ears. 

"All the preparations have been made, my Lord," Lucius said humbly, looking up into eyes glowing stronger than fire. 

"It is time," Voldemort replied triumphantly, rising from his chair in a swift motion.

_** ** ** ** **_

From the distance, a clock chimed as it struck the hour. The cloaked figure stood silently in the serene gardens of the Malfoy Manor.

A cloud covered the moon, and the world was enveloped in darkness. The cloaked figure, black as the night itself, began his walk toward the center of the Manor. _Yes, it is time._

(( A.N. Who do you think the cloaked figure is? What about the rest of this chapter? I'll bet that none of you will ever guess who it is! Review and tell me what you think!)) 


	20. Worlds Apart

  
  
  


((A.N. You were all wrong about that cloaked figure, as I knew you would be!! Well, too bad, you won't find out in this chapter. I will tell you it's someone you know, though! This chapter is too short to even call a chapter! It's pathetic, seriously! It just didn't fit anywhere, though, you know? WAY longer one next time. If it weren't for you guys I'd never be this far. I realized that the middle of a story is the definitely the hardest. The end of this story has written itself, seriously. I shouldn't even take any credit, I mean it! Okay read and enjoy!))

  


Disclaimer: If you think about it, who prowls around on fanfiction and actually sues these innocent aspiring writers? It's not as if they really think that we own Harry Potter. Which I don't, mind you. Rambling. I'll shut up. 

  


The door opened to reveal Lemanus, and Draco's heart picked up it's speed. 

"Come, boy," Lemanus said harshly. Draco had no choice but to walk out of his room in front of Lemanus. "And remember what I told you," Lemanus growled, shoving Draco down the hall with unneeded force. 

As they neared the dining hall, the place where they would be received by Lord Voldemort, Draco saw two figures coming from the opposite direction.

Draco could hear the murmur of voices even through the closed mahogany doors of the hall. Hermione and Narcissa were the distant figures coming closer, although Draco didn't recognize Hermione at first glance.

As she neared him, Draco found himself gaping openly. She wore a sweeping midnight blue gown that grazed the ground and glittered like a starry evening sky. The dress clung to her every curve and was strapless, baring her smooth shoulders. Around her neck sparkled a deep blue sapphire, shaped as an eight pointed star and bordered by sterling silver. Golden brown hair was clipped back into a sleek bun, revealing high cheekbones and a swan neck. To anyone but Draco, her face would have changed too, for the light make up Narcissa had applied accentuated her features beautifully. Draco, though, had seen the most gorgeous face in the world before she had worn any make up at all. Now he saw the same face shining through, beautiful as it had always been. 

Draco and Lemanus stopped on the right side of the double doors, Hermione and Narcissa on the left. Out of the corner of his eye Draco saw Lemanus staring at Hermione, licking his lips with a hungry expression. Fortunately, Hermione wasn't looking at Lemanus. Her eyes were fixed primarily and desperately on Draco. He met her gaze solidly and was hit with a tidal wave of emotions. For a moment her gaze was the only thing in the world that mattered. With her eyes she told him of her remorse, of love, of her fear. His gaze gave her more strength than she could have imagined, for it told her that he would not let them hurt her for all the gold in Persia. 

Hermione wanted to run to him and throw herself into his arms, feel them around her waist one last time. Draco wanted more than anything to comfort her, to stroke her hair, to tell her that everything would be okay. He wanted more than anything to kiss her. The need to go to him almost overwhelmed Hermione, nearly brought tears to her eyes. 

Though they were only a few feet away, society had taken them worlds apart.

They were separated by only air, although the barriers of conformity had planted a thousand walls between them.

Bonds of blood chained them, and cages of logic stood between two people who had finally realized that they only wanted one thing. Each other

Draco felt a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't take his gaze away from Hermione. 

"What's wrong, Draco? Never seen a mudblood before?" Pansy's voice commented snidely. She stepped up to his side, her eyes cold on Hermione.

Draco looked at Pansy. He once remembered comparing Pansy's beauty to that of a crimson rose. If Pansy was a crimson rose, than Hermione shone a thousand times brighter, like a golden star amongst the blackness of space. _Like a golden rose, _Draco thought suddenly. _Hold on! A golden rose . . ._

"It's time to go in," Lemanus said with a smile. Pansy took Draco's arm and they faced the double doors. Hermione donned a midnight blue cloak with a hood that shrouded her entire face. Draco desperately wished that Hermione was in front of him. He literally wasn't going to let her out of his sight. 

At Lemanus's gesture, the doors opened to reveal an eerily glowing hall. Hundreds of hooded faces turned to look at the four people remaining in the doorway.

_Come in, _said a voice in his mind. Draco would have yelped, if not for recognition of the voice, colder than December wind. _We have been expecting you._

((A.N. Sorry about the shortness! Review and tell me what you think is going on!))


	21. The Initiation: Part 1

  
  
  


((A.N. Haha, the initiation! It's about time, isn't it? I've dragged it out as long as possible, I know. Hm . . . definitely a rated R chapter for being sexually suggestive (let's just say Lemanus is a perverted freak and leave it at that.) This was originally a really, really, REALLY long chapter, but I split it up into two shorter ones for your convenience. Well, good luck with this one! Leave me a review!))

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter . . . never will.

  


Draco and Pansy started walking forward, all eyes trained on them. Hermione and Lemanus entered soon after, their footsteps echoing in the immense silence of the moment. 

_Unless I am going insane,_ _I just heard Lord Voldemort's voice in my head, _Draco thought with slight concern.

Had Hermione not been completely terrified, she would have found the hall to be spectacular. Floating candles bathed the room in a soft, yellowish glow that was contrary to the nervous ora in the room. A high, domed ceiling with a sky roof allowed moonbeams to filter through onto the speckled marble floor. Hermione likened it to the Great Hall in Hogwarts instantly. Harshly she reminded herself that she was as far away from the Great Hall as possible.

A cautious murmur went through the crowd. They were no doubt wondering at the mysterious figure shrouded in the midnight blue cloak. 

Hermione felt herself shrinking inside as she approached the dias at the end of the hall. A cold, sickly presence lingered there, yet she could feel eyes like fire burning through her cloak. 

She looked up as Draco climbed the dias, greeted by his father when he reached the top. Lemanus took Hermione's arm and they too began climbing to the top. Draco didn't take his eyes off of Hermione, and neither did the majority of the men in the hall. They waited with bated breath to see whom this mysterious creature proved to be. For all they knew, she was an honored guest, or a notorious spy. 

The presence as sickly as a dying calf increased as Hermione approached a high-backed chair where a man sat, his face as shrouded in cloth as Hermione's own. She knew who the man was. The murderer of her best friend's parents, the man who wished to purge the world of muggles like her own parents, and the arch enemy of Dumbledore, the wizard that she loved and rusted most in the world. She didn't need to take in the fact that he was Lord Voldemort. Hermione hated him intensely and absolutely simply for what he had done to the people around her. 

"Draco," came and icy, raspy voice from within the hood. "Come to me, my boy."

Draco walked forward slowly, dropping onto one knee when he reached Lord Voldemort. Draco removed his cloak as a sign of trust and respect to the figure before him.

_This man represents everything that my father has tried to teach me, _Draco thought suddenly. He felt Voldemort's gaze shift from him to Hermione. _Do not hurt her, _he prayed, keeping his head down. 

"Ah," rasped Lord Voldemort, removing his hood. Hermione almost screamed at the face in front of her. Demoniac red eyes and pasty white skin created the deranged face that had once been human, though she could not see how. 

"Remove your cloak," he said simply. Hermione was suddenly reluctant to bare her skin in front of a hundred Death Eaters and the horrible creature not five feet away from her. She felt Lemanus's breath on her neck as he whispered, "Remove your cloak, or I shall do so for you."

Hermione unfastened the cloak and let it slip off her shoulder and drop to the floor, reveling the midnight blue gown. 

She heard an intake of breath from the people behind. She was a woman, and a beautiful one, at that! This was certainly not what they had been expecting, and the occupants found themselves more than intrigued.

"Ah, Lucius . . . you have brought quite a jewel before me today. A _filthy_ one, at that," Voldemort spat the last words with contempt. Only low enough so that the people around him could hear, he muttered, "Your son has quite the taste in playthings."

Draco didn't even look up at Voldemort, though he knew Voldemort expected a comment, or even a laugh. _That's all she is to them, _he thought maliciously. _A play toy to be used and done away with. If only they knew how wrong they were. _

"Don't get your hopes up for this one, boys. She is lower than dirt. She is a mudblood."

There was another collective intake of breath from behind Hermione, this time coupled with hisses and snarls.

"Not just any mudblood, but the accomplice of our good friend Harry Potter. I'm sure you've all heard of _Miss_ Granger." Voldemort sneered at her title and let out a harsh laugh at the Death Eaters shouts of outrage and recognition. 

"Silence!" Voldemort roared suddenly, and the people ceased their noise at once. 

"As I said before, a _filthy _jewel. All she might need is some cleaning off-" Voldemort rubbed his hand back and forth through the air suggestively, causing crude laughter from the men behind her- "and she would be more than alluring, I'm sure. You are all probably wondering why she is here, however. The girl is to be part of our next mission. In order to ensure her _allegiance_, shall we say, she is to become a full Death Eater."

This time both the men and the women in the room gasped in shocked outrage and disbelief.

"How is this so, my Lord?" an anonymous figure called from the crowd. 

"Of course, you realize that she will be dead as soon as we are through with her, Master Parkinson. This idea, however, has all been put together by none other than our _honored_ Lucius Malfoy, whose son kneels before me tonight to join the Inner Circle," Voldemort drawled, his voice scraping like a thousand needles in skin. "Any problems with this plan will be blamed solely on him, and you all know what happens to my loyal servants when their scheming goes awry. Isn't that right, Mistress Lestrange?"

Laughter came from some of the men, but it was nervous laughter. Word had it that Bellatrix Lestrange had been severely punished for her failed assassination attempt on Harry only a few months prior.

Lucius immediately dropped to his knees before Voldemort, stating, "I know the consequences of my actions, Lord, and am ready to accept them if my plan fails."

Hermione heard the unworded statement in that phrase; _my plan will not fail._

"We shall continue with the ceremony, in that case," Voldemort murmured. Suddenly he snapped his fingers, and the great mahogany doors opened once again. For the second time, a cloaked figure strode through the doors, once again puzzling all of the Death Eaters. The figure was cloaked in starless black, and walked with a sinewy grace that spoke of danger at the slightest provocation. 

The figure strode up to the dias fearlessly and came to stand next to Hermione. 

Voldemort did not have to ask him to remove his cloak, for the boy did it on his own. His cloak dropped to reveal a more stunning male than Hermione had ever seen. His dark hair and intense eyes were the striking opposite of the fair Draco, and he was tall and lean, though slightly muscled. He radiated a sense of power and flawlessness as he stood almost defiantly before the most evil wizard in the world. 

"Blaise Zabini," Voldemort drawled, as if amused by the boy's intense nature. Hermione drew in her breath sharply. _No wonder he looked vaguely familiar! The boy goes to Hogwarts! _she thought in disbelief. 

"Look at me," Voldemort said suddenly. Blaise looked straight into the Dark Lord's eyes without flinching; there were precious few who do such a thing. "Did you come here by your own free will?" 

"I did," came the answer. His voice was surprisingly gentle for the fire in his eyes, but no less firm.

"Is it true that you came without the permission and acceptance, of your pureblood family, boy?"

"It is true." The boy held Voldemort's gaze solidly. "My family despises the Dark Arts and shuns the followers of you thoroughly. I, however, wish to join your ranks, Lord Voldemort.I believe that it is the only way to true power."

Voldemort smiled, satisfied with his answers. 

"Let us begin, then. Draco, come forth."

((A.N. Sorry I ended it here. Next chapter very soon. So . . . tell me what you think of Blaise Zabini. What are his intentions? Review!!))


	22. The Initiation: Part 2

  
  


((A.N. Okay, part two! Like I said, this was all supposed to be one big chapter, but honestly, it was too long. R for the same reasons as last chapter and I'm trying to keep this short so I won't say anymore! By the way, anonymous reviewer Spiffy, you are so brilliant! You are the only one who understood that metaphor before I explained it! Good for you! Oh yeah, review!))

Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter. Or Draco Malfoy, or Johnny Depp, or Orlando Bloom, or Brad Pitt . . .*starts to cry* 

"Let us begin then. Draco, come forward."

At the Dark Lord's gesture, Draco rose. He wasn't eager to look into Voldemort's eyes, for he once remembered hearing that the Dark Lord was skilled at reading minds. He knew that the ceremony required it, though. His only choice was to throw all the hate he felt for his father and for Lemanus into his gaze and pray that it was enough to mask his love for the young woman behind him. 

Voldemort showed no emotion as he met Draco's flaming gaze.

"Are you ready to accept the full burden of becoming my loyal servant?"

"I am," Draco said without hesitation. 

"Do you promise to devote the rest of your life to serving me, and only me?"

"I promise."

Suddenly Draco felt as if he had been released from a spell. He began to suspect that the words as had said met more than they seemed. 

"Step forward, Draco Malfoy, and take the final oath," Voldemort said quietly. Draco moved face to face with Lord Voldemort, still seated on his throne, and drew up the sleeve of his shirt to his forearm. 

Voldemort snapped, and a servant brought him his wand on a velvet pillow. Voldemort held the wand at arms distance in front of him and muttered an incantation. The tip of the wand suddenly shifted and became seething lava. Draco didn't flinch as Voldemort brought the wand down on his arm. He let out a small hiss as it touched his skin. Slowly the Dark Lord drew a flowing skull and finished it with a snake slithering out of the mouth. The boiling lava coursed through his skin, igniting every nerve in his body. His hissed again and grabbed his forearm in pain. Slowly the burning subsided. Draco bowed and made his way over to Lemanus and Hermione as Voldemort called, "Blaise Zabini, come forward."

Blaise began taking the same vows that Draco had taken.

Lemanus moved to whisper in his ear. "I take it that the girl is still a virgin, yes?" At Draco's expression, Lemanus continued, "I will be sure to make her first time _particularly_ memorable." 

Draco clenched his fists and stared at Lemanus, his eyes full of hatred. This only seemed to delight Lemanus further. Draco was about to hit him when they heard a yelp.

Draco turned to watch Voldemort drawing the snake emblem on Blaise's arm. Blaise cried out again, and staggered back as soon as Voldemort was finished. He clutched his forearm and came to standby Draco. 

"Miss Granger, step forward," Voldemort drawled, his eyes taking on a new light. Draco didn't like the look in Voldemort's eyes. He didn't like it at all. 

Hermione, trying to look unafraid, stepped forward to face Voldemort. 

"I will not make you take the vows, girl, because firstly, you have not come here by your own free will, and secondly, I am informed that you serve the Malfoys' also."

Voldemort's red eyes flickered to Draco ever so quickly before returning to her.

"Come closer," he commanded, drawing a long finger to her. Uncertainly Hermione stepped closer, close enough to reach out an arm and touch him. 

"Let us get one thing . . ." he rose out of his seat, and she took a step back, ". . ._ perfectly _straight."

Lemanus's had his hand on Draco's shoulder, and he's felt the boy's muscles tighten under his grip.

"This is what I think of you."

Voldemort smacked Hermione across the face. The slap rang out over the silence of the entire hall.

"This is what I think of your muggle parents."

His second slap sent her reeling backwards. Draco was surprised to see blood on her cheek until he realized that Voldemort was wearing a ring. 

"If I showed you what I thought of Harry Potter, you would be worse than dead."

Hermione suddenly pushed herself up and turned to face him. Her eyes were filled with defiance. 

"You do not scream," Voldemort observed casually. "Why not?"

"I would not waste my breath on the likes of you!" Hermione said acidly, her eyes glowing with anger. Voldemort's eyes filled with surprise, and the Death Eaters gasped in shock at what she had said. Lemanus was behind her at once, and he pulled her arms behind her back.

"You asked me a question and I answered it!" Hermione yelled over the din, struggling against Lemanus's restraint. 

"You speak out against the great Lord!" Lemanus yelled, pulling her closer. "The more defiance you show to Lord Voldemort, the harder I thrust myself into you after the ceremony!" 

Hermione gave a terrified gasp and jerked against him once, but he was too strong. Blaise was the only one close enough to hear the second part in all the noise, and quickly masked his shock. Draco had noticed none of this, though. He was watching the murderous expression on Lord Voldemort's face as he gazed at the girl. For as long as Draco could remember, no one had insulted the great Lord Voldemort. He would kill Hermione on the spot if he had his way.

"My Lord," Draco said suddenly. The noise from the Death Eaters died down. Draco faked an amused tone as he said, "The mudblood doesn't know whom she is talking to. She has not seen your deeds of greatness." Draco went down on one knee, as did his father and Lemanus. Lucius could not have Hermione killed yet; she was crucial to his plan. Blaise copied them quickly, and suddenly the whole hall was kneeling to Lord Voldemort. He smiled, accepting the compliment, and forgot about Hermione's wrongdoing for a moment. 

"I suppose that the girl doesn't have enough wits to understand what a crime she has committed," Voldemort said slowly, "but I am sure that Lucius will see to it that she _never_ does it again."

"Gladly, my Lord," Lemanus answered for him.

"Step forward," Voldemort said, his tone of voice sending shivers down Draco's spine. 

Her cheeks still burning from Voldemort's slap and what Lemanus had said to her, Hermione slowly came forward.

For the third time, Voldemort muttered the incantation on his wand, and the tip ignited to molten lava. He grabbed Hermione's forearm with and icy hand, and began to draw the skull. As the wand touched her skin, a burning like a thousand needles overtook her body. A second stretched to an hour, and she could barely stop from crying out. _ I will not give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream, _she decided, biting her tongue until it bled.

Draco heard the sizzling of skin and knew that Voldemort was piercing her skin far harder and deeper than his, just to make her scream. He watched in awe as Hermione stood perfectly still, her mouth firmly closed. 

Finally the pain in Hermione's arm receded, leaving an icy feeling in her bones. To Hermione's horror, Voldemort reached his hand up to her cheek, cold as a morning dew drop. She felt the cut on her cheek close up, and the blood disappeared. He slowly trailed his hand down her neck, and finally to her chest, where it came to rest just above the sapphire blue necklace between her breasts. Smiling, he closed his around the necklace for a moment, and it became warm under her skin. 

"Use it to get to our meetings. It works as a portkey now," he whispered, removing his hand.

Giving him a seething look, Hermione backed down to where Blaise and Draco stood. Her neck and chest were still icy where he had touched her, and she suddenly wanted to be sick. Blaise gave her an odd look, and glanced quickly at Lemanus before returning his gaze to the Dark Lord. Draco wanted to take her into his arms for all the world and tell her how brave she'd been, tell her how sick all these men were. 

Lucius stepped up and addressed the entire hall.

"The success of our next mission depends on the three youths standing before you tonight. Let us hope they do not disappoint us, and let us wish them the best."

Voldemort stood also. "This meeting is adjourned. We will discuss our tactics for the mission soon. Farewell."

With that, Voldemort evaporated into thin air. To Hermione it seemed that the room became instantly warmer and more at ease. 

"I must also leave," Lucius said suddenly. "I need to plan with Lord Voldemort in private. You did well, Draco."

Lucius also dissipated into thin air without another word. Death Eaters were still walking around, talking loudly and joking. Some were waiting to dissapparate (the hall was too full for everyone to do it at once) others were using the floo. The only people on the dias were Draco, Hermione, Blaise, and Lemanus. 

Lemanus climbed down and beckoned to two guards. He began whispering to them quietly. 

"You're braver than both of us," Blaise commented suddenly. His eyes pierced hers with intensity. He pulled her closer to whisper in her ear.

"I heard what that man said to you. He wasn't serious, was he?"

Hermione's lips trembled and she nodded. "I think he was."

She turned from Blaise to Draco. "Draco, Lemanus said . . ."

"I know what he said," Draco said softly, his eyes fixed on Hermione. "I don't intend to let him come within three meters of you."

Draco, however, could not hear Lemanus's whispered words to the guards. "Escort the boy to his room, but do not make a scene. Force him, if you have to, once you are out of this hall. Lock him in his room and keep him under close guard for the rest of the night. _Do not let him escape, _or Lord Voldemort will have your heads. Send the girl to my chambers immediately. Keep her under close guard the entire way. She is cleverer than you think."

The head guard nodded, and Lemanus slipped a bag of coins into his pocket. "For your trouble," he said softly. The guard's face lit up. "We will see to it, immediately, my Lord."

Lemanus smiled and strode across the hall, exiting without much notice or concern.

Draco looked at Hermione and remembered the dream he had suffered from all of his life, with the rose garden and the golden rose that sparkled with so strongly with innocence and beauty. 

"My golden rose," he whispered softly, wondering why he hadn't seen it before.

"What did you call me?" Hermione asked, catching his eyes in her own.

"Master Malfoy," a guard said from behind him, "some urgent business requires your concern."

"I will tend to it tomorrow, then," Draco called back, not bothering to turn around. Hermione was waiting for his answer. 

From Blaise's view, the two guards looked at each other, and one pulled out his wand. He muttered something indiscernible, and Draco's face paled. He realized that he was not moving his own limbs anymore. _The Imperius curse_, Draco thought suddenly. 

"I will be right back," he heard his voice saying confidently. With that he strode off the stage and followed the guards. He began trying to throw the curse off with all his might.

"Where is he going?" Hermione questioned, panic rising in her voice. Blaise was staring suspiciously at the jerky form of Draco. "Something's not right here. I don't think . . ."

He was cut off by two guards appearing at Hermione's elbows. Hermione looked around at them helplessly. There was no way to even try an escape with about fifty Death Eaters milling around.

"You are to report to Lemanus Gilroy's chambers, Miss Granger. We have come to escort you safely there."

The guards looked at her with fake cheery expressions. Blaise could tell, though, that the guards were only being polite for his benefit, trying to assure him and the other Death Eaters that everything was fine.

Each guard was more than two heads taller than her, and she bowed her own head submissively. "Of course," she whispered, as if she had been expecting it. No need to make Blaise become even more suspicious than he already was. 

The guards smiled at him before one took her arm politely. They strode purposefully out of the hall, in the opposite direction that Draco had gone. Wondering at the odd situation, Blaise lined up with the other men to take the floo system home.

(A.N. Next chapter may be extremely R-rated, just warning. What did you think? Review!))


	23. Revelations

((A.N. Here I am, making excuses again, but honestly, do teachers and professors _try _to kill us at the end of the year with finals' work? Is it just me, or does it seem like they get together and say, "Let's _all_ assign a _ridiculous_, impossibly large amount of homework _right_ before final exams so they don't have time for ANYTHING else . . . " I'm not even halfway through tonight's load, but this is so much more interesting than that collaborative English essay! Well, on to more important things! I have finished this story, but as I mentioned before, I wrote it all by hand and I just haven't had time to type it as of late. There are about three more chapters to come, depending on how I split the writing up. I'm not going to apologize for taking Draco out of character, either. If there was a good side to Draco Malfoy, I believe that this is exactly the way he would act. I hope you enjoy, and more chapters to come soon! Review!))

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Harry Potter. I'm just borrowing the characters from J.K.!.

As the guards shoved him into his room, Draco felt the Imperius Curse lift and dove for the door. He slammed into solid wood a millisecond after it closed with a crash.

He let out a cry of long suppressed rage and slammed both fists against the door in frustration.

_I am locked in my room like a three-year old! _Draco thought heatedly. _Servants of my own house have turned against me, and it's all Lemanus's fault._

He nearly laughed as he realized that this entire controversy was over a 'useless' mudblood girl. _Why do I even care about her? _Draco wondered angrily. _I didn't ask for this, _he fumed, pounding his fist against the door again. _It's not my fault that I . . ._

_ That you love her?_

_ Yes, that I love her! I _love _her, okay? I hate everything about her but I love her more than I can say, _Draco finally admitted to himself.

He realized that Hermione was the only thing that had ever really _meant_ something to him, something besides money and power. She was also the only one who had put his feelings before her own, who hadn't tried to use him, who liked him for who was.

Draco Malfoy had hated nothing more than being out of control of his own feelings. He had never been more out of control in his entire life, and he knew that it was because of Hermione. Right then, Draco decided that he didn't so much mind being out of control of his emotions, if it always felt like this.

A cold fire lit his eyes as he stood up, facing the door. Draco was no hero like Harry Potter, and he never would be, but he decided that he could rescue one damsel in distress, no matter what the cost.

"Let _go _of my arm," Hermione said once they had exited the hall. She wrenched her arm out of the guard's grasp. "I can walk for myself!"

The guard simply chuckled and said, "I'm sure you can."

As Hermione walked, her mind drifted back to a time when she had thought that she knew all that there was to know in the world. If she just read books and studied hard enough, she had believed that it would be easy to make sense of the world and everything in it.

_I know nothing, _she realized suddenly. _I know nothing about evil or good, love or hate, war or peace. And no matter how many books I read or hours I study_, _I won't understand until I have experienced it myself. _She laughed inwardly as she realized how naive she had once been. Such sheltered ideas about good and evil. Now, looking at Draco, looking at her own situation, she understood that it was not as simple as she had once thought. People weren't just _good _or _evil _at heart, there were circumstances that made them who they were. She would never again be so quick to judge people.

Just as she realized she should be thinking less about her moral beliefs and more about a way to escape, the guards stopped in front of a doorway. One knocked tentatively and called out, "Master Gilroy? We have brought you the girl."

"Since when do you call him master?" Hermione piped up, trying to stall for time.

"Since this," the guard said, pulling out a jingling bag and giving her a wink.

"I should've known," Hermione muttered under her breath. The guards snapped to attention as the door opened.

Draco had tried every unlocking spell that he knew, every curse, every hex, and checked every window. He leaned against the wall, frustrated at his own incompetence. Suddenly he heard a thunk against the outside of the door, as if something heavy had been shoved against it.

The lock clicked, and Draco leapt for the door, throwing out all common sense on the way there. He wrenched it open and collided headfirst with something hard and heavy. He heard a muffled groan, and staggered back, dazed. At first his vision was blurry, but eventually a dark-haired figure covering his face came into focus.

"Damn you, Malfoy. You hurt me worse than those guards," said a deep voice groggily.

"Zabini?" Draco questioned, astonished and disbelieving. He looked around to see two huge guards, apparently unconscious. "What are you doing here?"

Finally Blaise took his hands away from his face, intense eyes making Draco feel as if there was a spotlight on him.

"Nice of you say 'thanks' for rescuing you," Zabini commented coolly, his eyes narrowing.

"But why? Last time I checked we hated each other. Our parents hated each other. I detested you almost as much as Potter!"

"That hasn't changed, Malfoy, and don't think that it ever will. I need your help to find that friend of your father's, Lemanus Gilroy. Listen, it's a long story, but I have my own reasons for hating that guy, and I didn't like what he said to that girl. This is the perfect chance to get rid of him. You know your way around this place, right?" He paused for a moment, as if considering, before adding, "And by the way you were looking at her back there, I take it that you want to be the first one to shag her."

Forgetting the circumstances for a moment, Draco grinned at Blaise's bluntness. There was no denying that, at least. He thought he saw a ghost of a smile cross Blaise's face.

"I still don't get it though, Zabini. You're sticking your neck out for a mud– a muggle-born girl you've never even talked to?" Draco asked, highly skeptical.

"Are you just gonna stand here and ask questions, Malfoy, or are you going to help me find Lemanus's chambers?" Blaise asked impatiently, crossing his arms in a fluid motion. Draco realized that Zabini was right, although he did avoid answering questions with remarkable ease.

"This way, then!" Draco said, taking off at a run. He only hoped that it wasn't too late.

((A.N. I know, a bit short, but I'm having issues splitting the chapters up. So why is Blaise out to get Lemanus? Tell me what you think in a review!))


	24. Damsel in Distress

(( Heh heh! Only a week of school left for me! I can't wait! At least I got that history exam over with.... think I failed though. I mean, honestly, who knows The Speaker of the House in 1825? I think you'll like this chapter . . . kinda dark though! I have to put a strong R warning on this one, people . . . I really want to kill off Lemanus . . . This isn't the end, by the way. I'll tell you when the last chapter comes . . . R&R!))

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all HP book/characters/settings, not me, including POA, which I'm going to see tomorrow and I'm hoping will be as good as the other two.

Lemanus opened the door to gaze at the three people standing outside with his fish-like eyes.

"Thank you. I see you've brought her here properly, and I award you the rest of the night off duty. Go on, now! Off with you!"

The two guards grinned at each other, amazed with their luck, and walked away quickly without a backwards glance.

Hermione thought of bolting for the closest exit then and there until she noticed the wand cradled casually in Lemanus's hand. There was no use running when he only had to lift a finger to catch her. _No, I won't be able to take this bloke on physically, _she decided. _I'll have to outsmart him. _

Hermione wondered why Draco had left so abruptly from the dining hall. Why would he leave when he knew that Lemanus was coming at any moment? Slowly the notion came to her that perhaps he didn't care at all. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

Lemanus smirked at her, almost as if he could tell what she was thinking. Hermione shivered as she realized that he probably _could _tell what she was thinking.

"Cold, are we? Step inside, girl," Lemanus said quietly, a tone to his voice that she had never heard before. Swallowing the vile that was steadily rising in her throat, she realized that he sounded eager.

Hermione stepped carefully inside, racking her brain for something to say. The door snapped shut behind her, and she heard Lemanus mutter a locking charm.

Hermione whirled around. "Would you really taint yourself with mudblood scum like me?"

Lemanus turned and stared at her, taking in her disheveled hair and her blazing eyes. He merely chuckled, though it was a dry, mirthless sound in her ears.

"Mudbloods, purebloods, we're all the same when it comes down to it. Eventually Lucius will come to understand that."

"But . . . you, and Lucius, and Voldemort! You fight, you _die, _in order to exterminate me and everyone like me! That's what you stand for, the reason we are fighting this war!" Now there were tears in her eyes; not of defeat or sadness, but of anger.

"Do you really think that this is what the war is about? Blood? Muggles? Heritage? This war we fight is for power, and for glory! This war has been going on for thousands of years before Mudbloods and purebloods existed! Do not be so naive to think that we battle only _you_ in this war. Voldemort hates Muggles, and will surely turn them to slaves when he wins, but the rest of us only want power!"

Hermione was shocked at his words. To think that men fought bloody, gruesome wars for power and nothing else made her sick. Lemanus smiled and spoke.

"However, I would not expect someone like you to understand this. Let's not dawdle any longer, though. I've found that I like you even better when you're angry."

With that he pushed her against the wall, but not without a struggle. He was almost thrown back by the sheer force that she exerted, but he grabbed a forearm in each hand and slammed them against the wall. He stilled her struggling body with his own, and she almost wretched as she felt his hardness against her.

"I have made well sure that your beloved Draco is far from coming to your rescue." He was delighted at the fearful surprise in her eyes as the realization dawned on her. _He knows about Draco and me. _

"Oh yes, Miss Granger, he will die a wretchedly painful death when this is all over, but not nearly as painful as yours."

Then his mouth descended on hers, and she tasted the awful stank of his breath, felt the sickening roughness of his tongue.

His hands were moving up and down her body, finding the clasps to her dress and ripping them apart with savage delight. She struggled against him, fitfully but also futilely, as he ran his greasy hands down her bare back.

"No use fighting me . . . your spirit is not broken easily, I see," he whispered into her ear as he pulled off her dress. He ran his eyes down her body greedily.

"No, it isn't!" Hermione said fiercely. She said it with so much conviction, though, that Lemanus looked up. Her eyes still blazed, and impossibly, there was not a trace of fear on her face.

"We'll see about that. You are not afraid, though," he said. His breath came more heavily now. "What is it that you are afraid of? Death? Evil? Hell?"

"I'm afraid of the hatred I see in you. I may hate you, but you hate the world and everything in it! Hatred like that is almost like the kiss of a dementor, I would imagine. I would die before being like you!"

"Your words are meaningless!" he roared, seeming truly angry for the first time. He slammed her head against the wall, waiting to hear her cry out. The cry didn't come. Finally he realized that there would only be one way to make her scream.

The door to his chambers burst open with a smash. Draco and Blaise stumbled in, looking winded and confused. Draco's eyes immediately flew to Lemanus and became so enamored with fury that the room seemed to grow icy with hate.

"Hermione!" he screamed, running toward her, careless of anything around him.

Then suddenly Lemanus's wand was in his hand, and Draco and Blaise were flying backwards. They smashed against the opposite wall of the chamber, pinned there by an unseen magic.

Lemanus let go of Hermione and whirled around to face the two young men. Violent shudders racked Hermione's body, an aftershock of his hands on her skin.

Lemanus surveyed the two of them with what seemed like amusement.

"You just won't stay put, will you, Draco? I suppose you and Mr. Zabini had some heroic rescue plan in your heads?" He had a knowing look in his eyes. "Unfortunately, I cannot kill you. I'm sure that there are other ways, though, to make you understand."

Lemanus leveled his wand at Draco, taking a deliberate step forward. "The Crutacius, perhaps? Or would you like me to use a more painful Dark spell?"

Draco and Blaise seemed unable to speak due to the spell.

"Cruci–!"

"No!" Hermione screamed suddenly, reminded absurdly of Umbridge and Harry in their fifth year. "Don't hurt them! Blaise has nothing to do with this, and Draco . . . he doesn't deserve this punishment. It's my fault. Everything is."

She came to stand a few inches in front of him, as a shield between him and Draco. She knew that seeing Draco hurt would break her heart in two faster than being tortured herself. Hermione was completely unconcerned that she was wearing only panties and a strapless bra, and she stood solidly, hands on her hips. Draco was reminded for a moment of the bossy know-it-all he had once hated so much.

"I will let your precious Draco go . . . for a price."

He snaked a hand around her waist and drew her closer. Hermione shuddered involuntarily, and closed her eyes. She forced herself to speak. "Let him go . . . Blaise too . . . and you will have your _price._"

"LEMANUS!" Draco roared, apparently so enraged that he had broken the silencing part of the spell. Lemanus looked baffled.

"I swear to you right now that you will die the most painful death you can imagine if you don't let her go! What right do you have to even call yourself a human being? You are worse than my father!"

"I believe that we already have a deal, my lad. You two will leave this chamber, and you will not come back until morning." Lemanus was giving a direct order, though he phrased it as a request.

"Gilroy," a voice suddenly said from Draco's right. Hermione recognized it as the intense, burning voice of Blaise Zabini. When she looked into his eyes, she was immediately terrified. She saw a hate there, as he stared at Lemanus, far greater than Draco's and Hermione's both.

"You don't remember me, do you?" Blaise asked quietly, his eyes burning into Lemanus's.

"Oh, Master Zabini, I remember you quite well. I was wondering if _you _remembered _me,_" Lemanus said. His eyes danced calmly.

"How could I _possibly _forget the man who murdered my father?!" Blaise roared. "You killed him because he was one of the few purebloods who wouldn't join Lord Voldemort! I vowed that day, Gilroy, that I would kill you if it cost me my own life! I HATE you!" he roared, shaking the walls of the chambers.

A cool, calm voice from behind Lemanus said, "Petrificus Totalus!"

As a jet of blue light hit him, his hands snapped to his sides as he crashed to the ground, motionless.

Draco and Blaise were suddenly released from the curse, and slid down the wall. Hermione stared, shocked, at the still form of Lemanus, before looking up at his attacker.

((A.N. Who's the attacker? Review!))


	25. Golden Rose

((A.N. I really will miss writing this story and getting reviews . . . I'm thinking about trying for Schnoogle with my next story, what do you think? Well, without further adieu, here is the last chapter of 'A Desperate Love.'))

Disclaimer: I am forever in gratitude to J.K. Rowling for giving me this chance to grow as a writer, and since this is 'fan fiction,' I do not, unfortunately, own the characters or settings in my work.

Narcissa was there, her wand leveled at the place where Lemanus had stood.

"Mother?!" Draco said, a note of disbelief in his voice.

"Narcissa!" Hermione cried, also shocked at the woman's presence, but for a different reason. Then Draco was on his feet, and ran to Hermione. He threw his arms around her, tightly, as if he never wanted to let go. For one moment Hermione was reminded of Lemanus's possessive embrace, but she felt the warmth radiating from Draco and knew that the two couldn't be more different. For the first time in a while, she felt completely safe.

"Hermione," he whispered into her hair, cradling her tightly. Finally he realized how cold her skin was, and unfastened the cloak Pansy had given him. He carefully wrapped it around her and clasped it, all the while never letting go of her.

"I'm so sorry," Draco said breathlessly, drawing back a moment to look into her eyes. "The guards put the Imperius on me, and then I was locked in my room, and if it hadn't been for Zabini here, I don't know what would've happened, and . . . I'm just glad you're okay!"

Hermione smiled at his rambling, noting how out of place he sounded saying those words. She was delighted at how his cheeks were tinged pink, and his hair was sweptback from running. His eyes seemed to be searching hers for something, and she spoke as she realized what it was.

"I _am_ okay, Draco. Though Lemanus and I had the most fascinating conversation about power and glory."

Draco smirked at the thought of her having a civil conversation with Lemanus, but seemed relieved all the same.

They were distracted by a sudden scream from Narcissa. "No!" she yelled, and they turned to see Blaise with his wand leveled at Lemanus, shaking with rage. Draco realized suddenly that Blaise intended to kill Lemanus right then and there. _Surely he can't manage the killing curse, _Draco thought wildly. _Only the most powerful of wizards can. . ._

But he remembered back to one of Moody's lectures, and knew that if there was enough emotion coursing through a person, the Killing Curse was quite possible.

"Zabini, _no!_" Draco shouted, realizing that everything would be ruined if Lemanus died. There was a small part of Draco, though, that wanted to stand aside and let Blaise kill him.

It was Hermione who intervened, because she could see in Blaise's eyes that he would not listen to words. Once again, she leapt between the attacker and his target.

Blaise's murderous gaze softened only a little, and he said, "Get out of my way, Granger. I'll kill you too if I have to."

It occurred to Draco that Blaise was possibly insane, and he whipped out his own wand.

"Put that down, Zabini. I don't want to have to stun you."

They were at a stand still, it seemed. Hermione stood between Lemanus and Blaise, who hand his wand leveled at both of them. Draco's wand was pointed at Blaise's head, ready to stun at the slightest movement.

"Stop it, all of you!" Narcissa cried suddenly. "Lucius could come back at any moment, and you're all about to kill each other!" She looked at them all reprovingly. "With any luck, we're all on the same side, remember?"

Draco sighed, realizing the truth in her words, and lowered his wand. "I know you want to kill him, Zabini," Draco said in that sardonic drawl. "So do I . . . believe me, so do I. But if he just randomly disappears, my father will put two and two together and we'll all be good as dead. We just have to wait for the right time."

Blaise lowered his wand and turned to Draco. "You don't _get _it, do you, Malfoy? I don't care what the consequences are. I want him _dead._"

Draco and Blaise glared at each other before Hermione cut in. "Here's what I say we do. We put a powerful memory charm on him, then use a memory modification hex to change what he thinks has happened. That way, he won't remember anything we don't want him to, and no one has to know about this."

Draco's mind began whirring at her words. He couldn't think of anything wrong with it, right off the bat.

"Granger! Do you really expect me to walk away from the perfect chance to avenge my father? Do you really think I'm going to let Gilroy get away _again _without even . . ."

"Zabini," Draco said once more, in a warning tone. "Are you a Slytherin, or not? We can't go around bravely avenging our fathers like a bunch of heroic Gryffindors! You have to be sneaky and sly about it, and you can't just throw caution to the winds. Did you Sorting Hat put you in the wrong house or something?"

The boy's dark eyes flashed at the insult, but he looked at Draco more calmly.

"Fine, Malfoy," he spat after a moment. "Guess I didn't expect you to change from the stubborn asshole you've always been just for some girl. But _Granger? _Hermione Granger? Honestly, Malfoy . . ."

"You better shut your mouth if you want to keep all of your . . . anatomy intact, Zabini," Draco growled, but Hermione saw a flash of humor in his breath-taking eyes.

"I take it that you can handle a simple memory charm by yourselves, then?" Hermione said cuttingly. "I don't happen to have my wand."

"The memory charm, sure," said Blaise casually, "but the modification hex? I don't know one."

"I do," said Hermione and Narcissa at the same time.

"I have your wand here, Hermione," Narcissa continued, smiling as she pulled it out of her robes. "Stole it from Lucius's chambers. I should've known he'd keep it in there." She tossed Hermione her wand, and all of the sudden Hermione felt powerful beyond belief.

"Let me do the hexes," Narcissa suggested. "You three would most likely get warnings from the school if you tried magic.

Blaise's murderous gaze on Lemanus did not escape Draco's attention in the least; Blaise would kill Lemanus, when the time was right. Narcissa stepped up to Lemanus's body. She raised her wand and said, "_Obliviate!" _

A jet of purple light flew out, followed by a puff of smoke around Lemanus's still form. Immediately, Narcissa cried, "_Crio memoriosus!"_

Narcissa seemed to be concentrating acutely. But after a while a golden thread snaked out of her wand and attached itself to Lemanus. She took a deep breath.

"Draco is coming along exactly as you and Lucius see fit. He responds to all orders that his father gives him without question. Yes, he will be a good pawn in your hands. He and Hermione Granger, along with Blaise Zabini, all went through the initiation without problems. You trust Blaise completely now; how could he have possibly remember the murder of his father? You are a genius, and your plan is working perfectly. Oh, and that Granger girl? What would you want with a – excuse me, Hermione – bushy haired, buck toothed mudblood except to use her as a political pawn in this game you are playing? You are a genius, and you are manipulating everyone around you with perfect ease. _Compleo memoriosus!"_

The golden string wrapped itself around Lemanus before disappearing with a shimmering light. Narcissa sagged, half from exhaustion and half from relief. "He'll wake up tomorrow morning and believe everything I just said," Narcissa murmured.

"Wow!' Hermione breathed, impressed. "That's a difficult spell to perform at the best of times!"

Draco looked at his mother with a new sense of respect. Suddenly he realized that she could have been a wonderful ally to him throughout the years, but instead he had taken on his father's view of Narcissa. Nothing more than weak, unimportant, and disposable. Now he regretted that decision more than almost anything in his life. He mother had loved him, and he had never returned that love. Draco wasn't sure of damage like that could ever be repaired.

Draco took a deep breath. "Thanks . . . mum. We would've been in quite a predicament if you hadn't shown up."

Narcissa smiled, her eyes aglow. Draco had never called her mum before, always 'mother.' It wasn't much, but it was a start.

Next Draco turned to Hermione. " I can't let you stay here anymore," Draco said quietly. "We . . . we have to get you out of here, Hermione."

She looked up at Draco and saw the pain in his eyes. _He doesn't want me to leave, _Hermione realized. _And I don't want to leave him._

"But, Draco, the curse! If Lucius knows I've escaped, all he has to do is command me to come back, and if I don't . . ." she trailed off, remembering the pain she had felt once before.

Draco looked into her sweet amber eyes, noticed how they danced in the dim light, and suddenly everything came together so clearly in his mind that he could've kicked himself for not realizing it before.

"Hermione! Remember when I told you that every curse had a counter-curse?"

She nodded, noticing the odd light in his eyes, and she replied, "And I said that the counter curse to this particular curse must be nearly impossible to perform."

Draco added the pieces up in his mind, and the more he thought about it, the clearer it became. He took her hands in his excitedly.

"I tried to tell you this in the dining hall, but I never had a chance to finish! All my life, I've had this dream . . . this nightmare. It always starts with me walking through a rose garden, searching for something, though I don't know what. I get frustrated until I see a golden light out of the corner of my eye. As I get closer, I see a golden rose, more beautiful than all of the others, and more pure. Finally, I realize that this is what I've searching for all along. Then a faceless man leaps forward and slashes down the rose with a sword. Though he doesn't hit me, I suddenly feel like I'm dying . . . that's when I wake up."

Draco paused and looked at her. She could tell from all of his stuttering that he wasn't used to saying things like this.

"And, well . . . I finally realized that _you're_ the golden rose, Hermione. You're the one I've been searching for all of my life."

He paused again. This was the part that he was most reluctant to say aloud, because he'd only just realized it himself. He was terrified of what she would say, but looking into her eyes steadied him.

"I should've said this a long time ago, Hermione . . . but I love you, and I mean that with all of my heart."

Hermione looked into his eyes and knew instantly that it was true. Draco let out a soft breath. Silence. He'd done his part, and now he only hoped that Hermione would do hers.

Silence.

"Draco," Hermione breathed, tilting her face towards him. "I love you too. So much." She could hardly believe that she was saying it, but it was true. Then her lips met his, and all the feelings she'd been holding inside were released in one tumultuous moment. Hermione felt a wonderful tingling from head to toe, and all she cared about were his soft lips against hers, his strong arms around her waist.

To any onlooker, it would seem that a great shimmering light encompassed them both, golden as the rising sun. It would also seem that they were raised off of the ground for one blinding moment, though it was hard to be sure, for in the next instant, all signs of magic had disappeared as if seen in a dream. 

When, after a nameless amount of time, they released each other, it was as if the world made perfect sense for one blinding moment.

Narcissa and Blaise found themselves quite unable to move, and they were completely clueless as to what had just occurred.

"The curse," Draco whispered between breaths. "It's broken."

Hermione looked up at him, not daring to hope. "How?"

"It's the one thing that Salazzar Slytherin didn't count on when conjuring this curse. True love. It's the one thing that he couldn't manipulate, control, or combat. Besides, he didn't believe Malfoys to be even capable of possessing it," Draco said softly. He realized that he'd just defied every rule, every law, and every code of honor his family had ever laid down. _And I don't care, _he thought.

"So . . . the bond is useless now, because I am bonded to you in a much stronger way."

"Exactly," Draco said, his eyes sparkling.

"Does that mean . . . I'm free to go? I can escape and your father won't be able to track me?"

"Yes," Draco said simply.

Hermione stopped for a moment and took in the irony of the entire situation. All she had wanted, ever since she had come to the Malfoy Manor, was freedom. And now that she possessed it, the last thing she wanted to do was leave. At least, not without Draco. She felt that she would not be safer in the company of Dumbledore and the entire Hogwarts faculty than she would be right there in Draco's arms.

But Hermione knew that if she stayed both him and her would face death, or worse. There was still the matter of the Dark Mark on her left forearm, and she knew that she would never be able to escape that.

"Draco, I– I don't know where to go. I don't know what to do. I want to stay here, with you."

Draco lungs burned painfully as he looked at her. "Anywhere is safer than here for you, Hermione. When Lucius finds out about this," he beckoned to Lemanus and Blaise, "and he will, eventually, you can't be here to face his wrath. He might have some mercy for his own son . . . but not for you. Take the floo system to Potter or Weasely . . . there's some powder on the mantle."

Hermione couldn't help but hear the bitterness in his voice as he said her two best friend's names. The last thing he wanted to do was send her to Harry or Ron, but much as he hated to admit, she would be safest with one of them. So he gently unclasped his hands from her waist, every moment of it killing him, and guided her towards the floo powder.

She took a handful of powder and tossed it into the fireplace, still with no coherent thought of where she would go. _Harry, _was the name that came to her. He would understand, at least better than Ron would. She couldn't floo to his house, though, because she couldn't be sure that he was there.

She looked back at Draco, only looked, because she knew that if she touched him again she would never be able to let go. There was a chance that she would never see him again. So many things could go wrong before term started that she couldn't count them all. She was leaving him in a lion's den, and she hated herself for it.

"I love you," she said instead, and stepped into the emerald flames. Draco didn't hear the name she shouted, because his ears were roaring. He would've reached out and grabbed her if it wasn't for a bracing hand on his shoulder. He looked back to see his mother standing behind him, tears in her eyes also.

"If it's any comfort at all, you did the right thing," she said softly. "That's more than I could do, or your father." Blaise made a neutral sound in his throat, apparently to announce that he was leaving. Draco and Narcissa stood alone, watching the flames die down to their normal consistency.

It wasn't any comfort to Draco, knowing he did the right thing. His heart already ached with longing for her, and he'd held her only moments ago.

That night, Draco had a dream.

He was walking through a rose garden, full of beautiful, crimson red roses. He walked purposefully toward the beautiful golden rose in the center of the garden. When he saw it, the rose took his breath away with it's beauty and depth. It seemed to pierce the night and light the day, to hypnotize and lead astray. Suddenly a man appeared. This man had many faces. First the man was Lemanus, then his father, next Voldemort, and he pulled out a sword, raising it to slash down the rose.

But this time, Draco was ready. He unsheathed a sword of his own, and the two blades met in a clang of opposition. He fought the man off with all his might, and the man disappeared soundlessly into the mist.

He turned back to look at his rose. It still grew, unharmed and beautiful as ever.

Draco woke up, for the first time in his life, without a feeling of dread at the pit of his stomach, without that familiar aching feeling in his chest. He felt strangely peaceful.

Although he couldn't remember what had happened in the dream, Draco Malfoy knew one thing for certain. As long he lived, no one would ever harm his Hermione.

His golden rose.

THE END


End file.
